tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45978177310163400452018-05-23T03:51:38.644-04:00Invincible SummerXin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-73008524612105635082018-05-22T05:30:00.000-04:002018-05-22T05:30:11.087-04:00Link List: "Tiger" Moms and Ann Taylor Dresses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jd9HRoRBkU/WwBnMl9WWdI/AAAAAAAAM74/xp0BLLxAmIYXTSlxpxeCaTImcgFLUlpnwCLcBGAs/s1600/butcher%2527s%2Bdaughter%2Bbrunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jd9HRoRBkU/WwBnMl9WWdI/AAAAAAAAM74/xp0BLLxAmIYXTSlxpxeCaTImcgFLUlpnwCLcBGAs/s640/butcher%2527s%2Bdaughter%2Bbrunch.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The photo is from brunch at the trendy <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-butchers-daughter-new-york">Butcher's Daughter</a>, which was only okay. It was one of the less flavorful avocado toast dishes I've ever had. That's not dirt on the outer edge of the plate, it's just... intentionally chipped, or at least, intentionally not replaced after it chipped.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>I generally <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/2018/05/198459/tiger-moms-in-pop-culture">appreciate a reminder</a> about Amy Chua's much talked-about memoir from years back, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2GuUvCO">The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother</a></i> (affiliate link), as it's <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/06/books-that-have-stayed-with-me.html">one of those books</a> that's really had an emotional impact on me. For better or worse (probably mostly the latter), I relate to Chua as she describes herself, though I find her general approach to book marketing and sensationalized scholarship rather... unsavory. Except that I'd also absolutely love to have her life, be a legal academic who doesn't actually write about law and instead sticks her nose into topics she doesn't have a higher degree in, so you know, maybe I'm just jealous.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The article I linked does start from a flawed premise, as I don't think Eleanor Young from <a href="https://amzn.to/2KCRuTj"><i>Crazy Rich Asians</i></a> (affiliate link) is a "Tiger Mom" in that stereotypical sense. She's just rich and stuck up. Still, I always appreciate more discussion of Asian-American identity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. //</b> Rarely have I seen someone <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/new-york-lawyer-aaron-schlossberg?utm_term=.jozZL6M2A#.wkRjWNvdJ">affected so quickly and dramatically</a> by internet mob justice. It's shocking how bad his public behavior had been over the years, enough that several people, at several points in time, felt the need to film it, and now it's all coming out. I don't feel even an ounce of sympathy, though I'm also not sure he can be disbarred for speech made outside the context of his work as an attorney. (The answer to this legal question is likely fairly complicated, enough that there are probably colorable arguments both ways. It's a bit beyond the ambit of the basic required education in our professional responsibility rules.)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. //</b> There was some <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blogsnark/comments/8jy7on/money_diaries/">interesting discussion on r/blogsnark</a> about <i>Refinery29's</i> Money Diaries. For all that this particular subreddit has its roots in a strange and nasty corner of the internet, and things sometimes get weird, I've found that it's generally pretty good, as far as internet spaces go. It attracts a crowd of mostly fairly reasonable and intelligent women. I certainly find them more consistently reasonable than, say, the <i>Corporette</i> crowd. Sometimes, some really mean stuff is said, but it usually gets swiftly and decisively downvoted to oblivion. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blogsnark/comments/8jy7on/money_diaries/dz59u87/">Someone made the sad but accurate point</a> that, even as the Money Diaries commentariat is unusually nasty, they're also generally pretty ill-informed about basic things like how tax and pre-tax deductions simply won't look the same at every job, in every state, among other things.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were some interesting discussions on r/femalefashion advice too, one about what to do when a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/8jvo6h/what_to_do_when_your_husband_tells_you_he_doesnt/">significant other makes critical comments about your style</a> and how complicated that relationship question can be (though in general, they really shouldn't be doing that), and one far more lighthearted discussion about <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/8j4a9t/what_does_your_favorite_brand_say_about_you_xpost/">what your favorite brand says about you</a>. As for me personally, the question of whether I even have a favorite brand is difficult to answer, much less what it says about me. There's also a difference between brands I like and brands that would do a better job representing who I am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. // </b>Congratulations to <a href="https://www.brunchataudreys.com/2018/05/april-2/">Audrey</a> on being done with college! College can be such a wonderful, special time, one that I did not appreciate enough while I was there. (I really hoped that law school would be College 2.0, but alas, that's not usually the case. I do really miss being a student, though.) <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/alice-gao-the-jet-setting-photographer-who-wants-to-talk-about-money/">Luxe</a>&nbsp;did a great interview with photographer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alice_gao/?hl=en">Alice Gao</a>, providing an unique perspective on personal finance. I came away from it with a lot of respect for Alice's entrepreneurial spirit (and for Luxe's interview-writing skills)! <a href="https://athinkinganimalblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/things-my-partner-and-i-cant-agree-on-de-cluttering/">Jess</a> did a post about that life milestone of moving in with a significant other and needing to downsize and <a href="http://dresslikeanengineer.blogspot.com/2018/05/how-i-stopped-being-couch-potato-and.html">Engineer L</a> did a post about the feeling of empowerment that comes from finding and taking to a new physical fitness habit, both experiences that I can relate to. (My own fitness epiphany, that brief time in law school when I had time to run outdoors and a nice nearby park to do it in, was, however, extremely short-lived.)</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this portion of the post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. //</b> Speaking of brands that might sort of represent who I am, for better or for worse, one of those brands is still Ann Taylor, even if I've <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/2017-shopping-budget-roundup.html">become distressed</a> by their design choices and quality issues over the years. While their sister brand Loft is suddenly and decisively "<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/friday-link-list-dress-codes-and-other.html">dead to me</a>", Ann Taylor still does the occasional dress of the type I look for (conservative, generally with little feminine details here and there, and has potential for both work and play, though the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/current-wish-list.html">dresses get boring</a> if I wear them to every single wedding I attend).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for what Ann Taylor says about a person who gravitates towards it? Well, I'm not sure it's terribly flattering. At some point, someone pointed me to this <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/for-the-professional-washington-woman-ann-taylor-is-her-muse/2011/11/14/gIQAvYPYSN_story.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.41e321f56409">very old <i>Washington Post</i> piece</a> about the brand and its place in Washington D.C. style. The article's not very nice, nor is it likely accurate about any of it, really, but I confess I was sort of entertained by it and could relate to bits and pieces. There was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/ann-taylor-and-dc-get-a-bad-fashion-rap/2011/11/17/gIQA2UfSVN_blog.html?utm_term=.68738f64c551">a response</a>&nbsp;piece. All this provides a strange and awkward transition to the below, a short list of Ann Taylor's current dress offerings that I would consider buying, if I were in the market. For certain wardrobe needs, they still get it right (but that's not very high praise).</div><!-- COLLECTIVE WIDGET CODE START --> <br /><div class="shopsense-widget" data-mobile-optimize="true" data-options="%7B%22widgetId%22%3A%225afee81dbe7a44fe7602e4fd%22%2C%22version%22%3A1%2C%22pid%22%3A%22uid9684-31881822-20%22%2C%22size%22%3A171%2C%22columns%22%3A3%2C%22rows%22%3A1%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fapi.shopstyle.com%2Fapi%2Fv2%22%2C%22iframeHeight%22%3A246%2C%22iframeWidth%22%3A618%7D" style="text-align: center;"><script> !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = '//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1526654789784?cb=' + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === 'object'){ if(doc.readyState === 'complete'){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, 'script', 'shopsensewidget-script'); </script> <iframe frameborder="0" height="246px" seamless="" src="//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/#/?options=%7B%22widgetId%22%3A%225afee81dbe7a44fe7602e4fd%22%2C%22version%22%3A1%2C%22pid%22%3A%22uid9684-31881822-20%22%2C%22size%22%3A171%2C%22columns%22%3A3%2C%22rows%22%3A1%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fapi.shopstyle.com%2Fapi%2Fv2%22%2C%22iframeHeight%22%3A246%2C%22iframeWidth%22%3A618%7D" style="border: 0;" width="618px"></iframe> </div><!-- COLLECTIVE WIDGET CODE END --> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Is there a brand that you think represents you? Is that the same thing as your actual favorite brand? Did you have any thoughts on Amy Chua's memoir back in the day? It really brings up some complicated feelings for me, including that I resent her use of the stereotypes (which are harmful) to sell her book. Except that I also see a lot of myself in her, which is an uncomfortable thing. (If I was living the dream of being a legal academic that could write about whatever I wanted, I'd probably write some really boring and probably not very good scholarship about Chinese bistory that nobody would read or buy.)</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-60933194994960096432018-05-18T05:30:00.001-04:002018-05-18T05:30:01.029-04:00A Biglaw-Ish Attorney's Money Map<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_mtc3YN5JCk/WvnqKB6x76I/AAAAAAAAM4M/sU6Xmd9ogGQiq-5xBJqKmFQ8cDBQLav0wCLcBGAs/s1600/updated%2BMoney%2BMap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1067" height="524" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_mtc3YN5JCk/WvnqKB6x76I/AAAAAAAAM4M/sU6Xmd9ogGQiq-5xBJqKmFQ8cDBQLav0wCLcBGAs/s640/updated%2BMoney%2BMap.JPG" width="700" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This post is inspired primarily by the money map posts by <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/financial-map-exactly-manage-money/">Luxe</a> and <a href="https://athinkinganimalblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/02/my-money-map/">Jess</a>. I tend to be a little obsessive in how much I enjoy tracking my money data every which way: I use Personal Capital and YNAB near-daily, and draw up an additional Excel spreadsheet now and again, so making a visualization like this was right up my alley. Whether all my tracking is useful is another question entirely. I'm notoriously averse to actually doing math and attempting to make projections for important things like when I'll finishing paying off my student loans, even though I totally have more than enough data for the task. (The projections above are courtesy of plugging the numbers into <a href="https://unbury.me/">Unbury.Me</a>.&nbsp;For more advanced calculations, I recommend <a href="https://www.vertex42.com/Calculators/debt-reduction-calculator.html">Vertex42's debt reduction spreadsheet</a>.)<br /><br />Longtime readers may know that I'm not shy with transparency about some very specific financial details, though I'm also oddly reluctant to type out actual numbers in full because, to be frank, they're big and scary (the loans for obvious reasons, the salary because it's so temporary). There's no point being too coy, though, because the&nbsp;<a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2016/06/breaking-ny-to-180k-cravath-raises-associate-base-salaries/?rf=1">biglaw payscale</a>&nbsp;is so standardized and transparent, <a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2017/11/associate-bonus-watch-cravath-announces-its-2017-associate-bonuses/">including bonuses</a>, as were clerkship salaries (<a href="http://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/jsp_new_york_2018.pdf">rates</a> in the larger NYC metro area, term clerks <a href="https://oscar.uscourts.gov/qualifications_salary_benefits#salary">are generally limited</a> to step one of JSP-11, JSP-12, and JSP-13, so only a sliver of the chart is relevant). I'm in a different part of the industry now, but my salary matches biglaw, though my bonuses will be less (maybe far less) than half of the biglaw market rate.<br /><br />Some percentages in my money map are fudged, but the general picture is accurate. For instance, I set my actual 401(k) contribution rate last year, before my annual raise, so it's higher than ~8.8%. I'll stop making contributions in mid-November, once I'm maxed out. I've already maxed out my backdoor Roth IRA for 2018, so my contributions were higher in earlier months, but I'm done now.<br /><br />The student loan-related numbers, arguably the most important ones, are accurate. And I wish it weren't so, because darn, there's still a long way to go, years after graduation and after ~<b>$65,500</b> in payments and counting. My ability to repay in earnest was curtailed when I spent ~14 months&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/sunday-reading-asian-americans-in-legal.html">clerking</a>, which brings a significant pay cut. (It's an extravagantly expensive choice, but one that opens certain career doors that would otherwise be closed.) The hypothetical three-year plan I described, which isn't actually in the cards, requires monthly payments of more than <b>$4,700</b>! For 36 months going forward! The six-year plan still calls for monthly payments of more than <b>$2,500</b>! (I'll probably be able to knock a few months off the projections with year-end bonuses, which I couldn't factor in here because the numbers are so uncertain. Either way, terrifying!)<br /><br />The main thing that requires further explanation is the "E-Fund, Planned Expenses &gt;6 months" piece that I group under "Net worth positive" activities. Classifying the emergency fund that way is uncontroversial, I think. I really hope not to dip into it in the forseeable future, but in the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/09/biggest-purchase-of-2017-urgent-dental.html">unhappy event</a> that I must, that's why it's there. Classifying money set aside for other major expenses expected to hit more than six months from now this way is perhaps a little odd (at least when that number mostly represents a <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/05/the-shape-of-my-discontent.html">certain elective surgery</a>), but at some point savings for more traditionally "net worth positive" things, like a down payment on a home, will be part of that number.<br /><br />One big omission is Charitable Giving, which will likely be done late in the year in a lump sum or two of yet to be determined size, to yet to be determined cause(s), but probably something like Planned Parenthood and a local pro bono legal services organization. I must confess, with regards to charitable giving, I struggle sometimes because the benefits of the small amounts I'm able to contribute (thanks, student loans!) feel so minuscule and abstract, especially when compared to the far more concrete benefits of my pro bono work. I've had a pretty good run of success with my cases (lion's share of the credit to my wonderful, dedicated supervisors), and my 150+ hours of service a year while practicing have<i> truly</i>&nbsp;<i>helped people</i>, which is incredible. But I'm also acutely aware of how much work and resources (and thus, money) it takes to meaningfully assist just... three or four individuals and their families. It'll never feel like enough. Of course, the organizations I would donate to are far more efficient in their good works than I am! Still, as an attorney, I may be in a category where, due to highly specialized qualifications, my time is far more valuable than what money I'm able to put to charitable giving at this point.<br /><br />Another thing I didn't break out into its own category, but that is a significant part of my expenses, is Travel, for which I allocate around ~3.5% of my post-tax income most months. Presently, about half of that is in "Living Expenses" (for a trip sometime this fall with K, probably to Japan) and another half is in "Planned Expenses" (for a trip to Europe with my mom and sister sometime in 2019, which I'll shoulder most of the financial burden on, in keeping with my income). I broke out <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/search/label/monthly%20budget">shopping</a> into it's own category just for fun. The ~4% of post-tax income is for the year to date, but it should decrease as the months go by because my first few months were unusually spend-y.<br /><br />Please follow the link below for some additional rambling about the cost of law school!<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-SzHk_Y0UQ/Wvo0xNyGHGI/AAAAAAAAM4c/NAkuRKIg4w0_PtLX88XzfbNoywNmqWQ8wCLcBGAs/s1600/elle%2Bwoods.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-SzHk_Y0UQ/Wvo0xNyGHGI/AAAAAAAAM4c/NAkuRKIg4w0_PtLX88XzfbNoywNmqWQ8wCLcBGAs/s1600/elle%2Bwoods.gif" /></a></div><br />My overall money management picture is on the simple side of the spectrum. The numbers, particularly on the student loan front, are large and scary (law school, especially ones that reliably place a majority of graduates desiring biglaw into those jobs, is&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/12/financial-picture-part-1-going-to-law.html">extremely expensive</a>, even with my significant scholarship). The way to tackle it, however, is simple, at least at this uncomplicated stage of my life (no car, no serious prospect of owning&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_property">real property</a>, no kids in the immediate future, no health insurance option that allows for a HSA, and no particular entrepreneurial dreams or interest in investments more creative than "stick it in a low-fee S&amp;P 500 or appropriate target date index fund and let it ride") and given my career choices (private sector, mostly biglaw and now biglaw-ish for the forseeable future,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/sunday-reading-asian-americans-in-legal.html">except while I was clerking</a>). All I need to do is:<br /><ul><li>Refinance my student loans for a better interest rate as soon as I could, from ~7% to ~2.6%, saving me more than $6,000 a year in interest;&nbsp;</li><li>control lifestyle inflation as much as I can, which isn't always that much;&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.biglawinvestor.com/budget-case-study-fictional-1st-year-biglaw-associate/">max out</a>&nbsp;of my tax-advantaged savings accounts, to benefit from the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/how-a-non-rich-person-started-investing/">power of compounding</a>&nbsp;and knowing that this income level is definitely not forever so I'd better save now;&nbsp;</li><li>also save a comfortable cushion of cash because someone in my shoes, for whom having kids and helping support elderly parents is still a distant-future thing, has no excuse for the "<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lDEwe0qKKNba28n2M7kgYNgAWzpw_dMg/view?usp=sharing">financial struggle being real</a>" if and when I leave biglaw-ish; and</li><li>pay it off as quickly as possible, so that I could take a&nbsp;<a href="https://financialpanther.com/no-dad-didnt-get-fired/">significant pay cut for a less demanding job</a>&nbsp;if that's my choice, so I could actually&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/on-house-cleaning-and-sometimes-living.html">clean my living space</a>&nbsp;regularly, never again need to consider services&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/05/an-overworked-attorneys-blue-apron.html">like Blue Apron</a>, and actually parent the kids I'd like to have.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>It goes without saying that I'm grateful, and feel so incredibly lucky that my law school bet paid off. Just a few short years ago, on the heels of the 2008 recession, biglaw firms conducted&nbsp;<a href="http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/where_are_they_now_laid_off_after_2008_crash_ex-associates_rebound_into_new/">widespread attorney layoffs</a>, cut down their new graduate hiring for years after, and as a result, a large number of graduates from tippy-top law schools had their careers, and financial plans,&nbsp;<a href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/business/dealbook/burdened-with-debt-law-school-graduates-struggle-in-job-market.html?_r=1&amp;referrer=">completely upended</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2016/09/what-the-2009-legal-layoffs-were-really-like/">cut off</a>&nbsp;before they really got off the ground. Had I graduated college a year earlier and gone straight to law school, I think it's likely that my career prospects would have felt some of the effects from 2008 and 2009. (I was a good student, but a terrible interviewer, far from a winning combination for recruiting success.)<br /><br />Anyway, I don't think I'm using my "money map" post the way they're usually intended because I ultimately find the nitty-gritty of where I keep my accounts and my choice of credit cards for travel points and cash back to be boring. Not much has changed since <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/11/first-steps-personal-finance-toolkit.html">I last visited the topic</a>. Instead, for me, this post is more an opportunity to reflect on the cost of law school, and give some context for possible future posts about the whole experience.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-8764744994676986732018-05-16T05:30:00.000-04:002018-05-16T05:30:09.735-04:00On the Hunt: Cuyana Tall Tote<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FyqL2gslQR0/Wvp6AAcwQhI/AAAAAAAAM6E/2DDGDSpGZK4D3XnTc4c-4ly8iqVMP4mMgCLcBGAs/s1600/cuyana%2Btall%2Btote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FyqL2gslQR0/Wvp6AAcwQhI/AAAAAAAAM6E/2DDGDSpGZK4D3XnTc4c-4ly8iqVMP4mMgCLcBGAs/s1600/cuyana%2Btall%2Btote.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Once in a long while, I'll get an odd and powerful fixation on a very specific item, months or even years after I first encountered it, whether on a blog or on some stylish stranger I saw walking around on the street. Such a thing accounted, most recently, for my rather&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/february-2018-shopping-reflections.html">sudden purchase</a> of the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHQh">Coach Rogue</a>.<br /><br />It's a separate and distinct phenomenon from if I ever&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/06/the-big-distant-future-splurge.html">make a decision</a> about a "<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/06/the-big-distant-future-splurge-revisited.html">distant future splurge</a>", whether <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/the-it-bags-of-yesteryear.html">a designer bag</a>&nbsp;or something similarly lofty. These are, instead, desires for something that often started at a relatively modest price point, something like a&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/05/may-shopping-reflections.html">particular Madewell</a>&nbsp;or <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/02/february-shopping-reflections.html">J.Crew dress</a>&nbsp;that I totally had the opportunity to buy (on sale, even) while it was still in stores. Sometimes, I specifically considered the item too, and chose to pass on it at the time, only to regret it later. They tend to be somewhat obscure items, not the kind of thing one could easily obtain right away in the correct size and/or color, even with a ready willingness to pay close to retail, though the process often turns out somewhat quick, only a few weeks or months of occasional Ebay searches.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My most recent such fixation, which has simmered for quite some time, is the long-discontinued Cuyana Tall Tote in black. A few years ago, I saw someone carrying it in an airport, and it seemed, with its squared off sides, to have a neater and distinct look compared to the wider&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHQl">Cuyana Classic Tote</a>&nbsp;(which they still sell in a wide range of colors). Even then, the black tall tote had long since sold out. I checked back frequently and put myself on the waitlist, only for it to never return. I have the classic tote in brown, actually, a generous Christmas gift from K the year before last, which I love and use quite frequently. If I was able to find the tall tote, it'd fill a slightly different niche, the one that is admittedly already sort of occupied by that Marc by Marc Jacobs Too Hot to Handle hobo bag I splurged on last year (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHTx">similar</a> in other <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHTH">colors</a>). The dimensions for the tall tote may not even be that different from those of the classic tote, as seen below, but from that one quick glimpse at the airport, I suppose my brain is absolutely convinced that the slight size and shape differences have a&nbsp; noticeable impact, and make it a very different bag.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--S-EiTKGCW8/Wvp-PNM_kdI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/rdXDTsxvC3EO084H5VfRD89IgxfjZ5HxgCLcBGAs/s1600/cuyana%2Btote%2Bcomparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="736" height="442" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--S-EiTKGCW8/Wvp-PNM_kdI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/rdXDTsxvC3EO084H5VfRD89IgxfjZ5HxgCLcBGAs/s640/cuyana%2Btote%2Bcomparison.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been searching hard, and have yet to find anything similar in the same general size, in black leather, and with the squared off sides. The <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHT1">Baggu Basic Leather Tote</a> doesn't seem to be the right shape <i>or </i>size, it's probably a bit too tall and floppy (though there may be <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHUc">different sizes</a>? either way, it lacks the squared off sides). The <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHTR">Everlane Day Magazine Tote</a> may actually be the right shape and size. To my eyes, it has almost the exact look of the Cuyana Tall Tote, except that the leather texture appears quite different, smoother (and possibly more prone to scratches and scuffs as a result), and less "squishy", for lack of a better word. Because I know I quite like the texture of the Cuyana leather, from my experience with my&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/JHQl">Classic Tote</a> (it's highly resistant to showing wear and tear), I suspect I'd find the texture difference distracting, and the Everlane one is off the table.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I'll be hunting Ebay and Poshmark (this particular fixation could result in my first ever Poshmark transaction, should I find it there). This item's proven&nbsp; rather elusive, and searching occasionally on Ebay over the months, even years,&nbsp; has proven unavailing.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do you ever get oddly specific shopping fixations like this? Does it usually take long to find the item you're seeking? In my case, it's normally a relatively quick process, because I most commonly end up looking for items that were still available at retail stores within the last year, so it's generally easy to find them in at least a few sizes, though not necessarily my exact size/color combination. Older items can take much longer, though, as in this case!</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-29812148304570455622018-05-09T05:30:00.000-04:002018-05-14T14:10:24.481-04:00An Overworked Attorney's Blue Apron Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvJhk2NK2mk/Wu9tlWhxrbI/AAAAAAAAMxo/JKTOdayiyAUmH7BbriXPVAH7fEiUbBmNACLcBGAs/s1600/blue%2Bapron%2Bpork%2Bchops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="978" height="478" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvJhk2NK2mk/Wu9tlWhxrbI/AAAAAAAAMxo/JKTOdayiyAUmH7BbriXPVAH7fEiUbBmNACLcBGAs/s640/blue%2Bapron%2Bpork%2Bchops.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The ingredients for pork chops with "salsa verde".</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">As I mentioned <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/money-diary-not-entirely-typical-week.html">a few weeks ago</a>, we've been trying Blue Apron. I feel guilty about it too, because I know its a questionable choice, from both environmentalist/low-waste and frugality perspectives. I really would prefer a lifestyle where I could plan and cook my own meals. But neither K nor I have such a lifestyle right now, so it came down to either this or ordering delivery food from Seamless more often. And we're really tired of even our favorite local places on Seamless, where, as with most restaurant food, the dishes are often less healthy and come in excessive portions.<br /><br />So that's how we decided to try Blue Apron. We ended up getting&nbsp; Blue Apron for nine weeks total, getting one box for free due to using a friend's referral code. That should be enough time for a full assessment. <b>My overall conclusion is that it often feels like a bad value and the recipes take too long (60 to 80 minutes each), so I'm inclined to cancel.&nbsp;</b>Cancellations,&nbsp;by the way, must be done by contacting their customer service, rather than simply logging in to their website. (I generally don't like this retention tactic by online subscription services. It's not promising when they make it hard to cancel.)<br /><br />First, the nitty-gritty: Including shipping, the smallest Blue Apron box option, for two meals for two people, or four servings, a week is&nbsp;<b>$51.95</b>, which works out to ~<b>$12.99/meal</b>&nbsp;or<b>&nbsp;~$26.00/dinner for two</b>. Portion sizes for grains (farro, quinoa, couscous) are large, and could generate enough food for a third, or even fourth serving, but they're a bit stingy with everything else. For meat and fish, they generally promise approximately 10 ounces for two people. While groceries are very expensive in NYC, I could generally make a much more generously sized meal&nbsp; for two with a "fancy" protein like salmon or beef for around <b>$17 to $21</b>, so Blue Apron is expensive even by NYC standards. This probably makes it a major extravagance in any other part of the country!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YWGZFZOe4Gw/Wu9wNINzNeI/AAAAAAAAMx4/AFKuCdB7d4cHIILY35pMu3bQBdHHVC9ZQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/pork%2Bchops%2Bwith%2Bsalsa%2Bverde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="384" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YWGZFZOe4Gw/Wu9wNINzNeI/AAAAAAAAMx4/AFKuCdB7d4cHIILY35pMu3bQBdHHVC9ZQCPcBGAYYCw/s640/pork%2Bchops%2Bwith%2Bsalsa%2Bverde.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed pork chops and "salsa verde" with sides of sautéed kale and roast potatoes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Blue Apron Pros:&nbsp;</b><br /><ul><li><b><i>(1)&nbsp;</i></b><i><b>Wide range of recipes to choose from each week</b></i>, usually four dishes with meat or fish, four vegetarian dishes, and a pasta dish that might or might not contain meat;&nbsp;</li><li><i style="font-weight: bold;">(2) every shipment is on time and problem-free</i>, and I don't doubt that they'd be willing to make it right with a refund if any problems arose;&nbsp;</li><li><b><i>(3) the service is quite convenient (obviously)&nbsp;</i></b>as everything comes in the right quantity, no meal planning or shopping needed; and&nbsp;</li><li><b><i>(4) it may be a good way to build kitchen skills and expand one's comfort zone with cooking</i></b>, allowing one to start planning and cooking their own meals in the future.&nbsp;</li></ul><br /><b>Blue Apron Cons:</b><br /><ul><li><b><i>(1) Expensive and a bad value, even by NYC grocery standards, </i></b>as I mentioned above, and they also sometimes nickel and dime us with smaller than promised portions (I got 9.1 ounces of salmon instead of a promised 10 ounces once) or meat that feel like cheap trimmings (any of the dishes with chopped up beef);&nbsp;</li><li><i style="font-weight: bold;">(2) lack of variety in flavors and ingredients</i>, in nine weeks I got dishes with this same "salsa verde" of chopped capers, parsley, and garlic no less than three times, and had carrots and kale almost once a week (I like kale, but I don't like carrots), and by now I feel like I've seen all the flavor profiles they have to offer;</li><li><b><i>(3) extremely fussy recipes</i></b>, they say their recipes are supposed to take 30 to 40 minutes, but 70 to 80 minutes is the actual norm, unless I start dramatically omitting steps, and most of it is "active" cooking time where I'm busy chopping or tending something on the stove and often multitasking, rather than "passive' cooking time waiting for something to simmer or roast; and that leads into&nbsp;</li><li><b><i>(4) the recipes don't seem optimally designed</i></b>, and while I'm an experienced home cook with a high level of comfort in the kitchen, many of the instructions seemed odd or clunky to me, resulting in a few memorable mistakes (couscous instructions, in particular, didn't work).&nbsp;</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>What do I mean by "fussy" recipes? Well, I recently received my first Hello Fresh box, and while the jury's still out on whether I think that's a better service, the first recipe I cooked, pesto chicken with roast potatoes, was such a refreshing change from Blue Apron. It was so much simpler!, I chopped up and lightly seasoned some potatoes and popped them in the oven (&lt;10 minutes); put some pre-made pesto on chicken breasts before coating the tops in a bread crumb mixture and put that in the oven (&lt;12 minutes); and made side salad (&lt;5 minutes) while the other items roasted for ~20 minutes. If it was a Blue Apron recipe, they'd have me making the pesto, which ultimately would have been time consuming and likely wouldn't have been as good as what Hello Fresh sent in a jar. They'd probably have swapped out the salad for sautéed kale, and might have had the chicken cooked on the stove, in the same pan as the kale. (Blue Apron's generally reluctant to ship vegetables less hardy than kale or broccoli, which contributes to the lack of variety. They'd almost never send salad.)<br /><br /><a name='more'></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kD8NqdJE3TU/Wu9yBkgFsSI/AAAAAAAAMyA/En_gFzdW5z8mHKbqkh-w07ry5gbRT1zJwCLcBGAs/s1600/emotionally%2Bexhausted%2B.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kD8NqdJE3TU/Wu9yBkgFsSI/AAAAAAAAMyA/En_gFzdW5z8mHKbqkh-w07ry5gbRT1zJwCLcBGAs/s1600/emotionally%2Bexhausted%2B.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>There was many a time this past nine weeks where, upon returning home after a long day at the office to the prospect of cooking a Blue Apron recipe, I felt just like the child on the left. I'm not proud of it, but I actually cried once.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm a fairly experienced home cook, and am rather quick when I cook my own dishes, which tend to look much more like that Hello Fresh dish. Blue Apron's recipes often recommend steps that I skip or modify because I find them pointless and inefficient. For instance, there was a vegetable fried rice one week, and they recommended cooking the vegetables (carrots and bok choy) and egg first, removing all of it from the pot, and then stir frying the cooked rice separately for a few minutes before adding back the vegetables and egg. I can assure you, both from past experience and from making that specific recipe, removing the toppings from the pan before adding rice is definitely<i> not </i>necessary.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Comparing my experience to Blue Apron reviews from earlier years (which often tend to be sponsored, enough that there's also a huge number of blogs out there that feel compelled to label theirs "unsponsored" or "unpaid"), it seems like they offer far less recipe and ingredient variety now than they used to. I'm definitely not impressed with the value or variety for my money, and can already see that Hello Fresh recipes give me about as much utility to me for a dollar less per serving and much less wasted time. While that's not the biggest price difference, and Hello Fresh is also clearly a premium service, it does make me even grouchier about Blue Apron.</div><br />As illustrated by the above GIF, I may have occasionally had rather... dramatic feelings about my Blue Apron experience. There were quite a few days where, after a long day at work, I actively resented needing to make another annoying Blue Apron recipe, guaranteed to add another hour plus of labor to my day. I was being a bit... irrational at those times, which is not uncommon in this profession when the chips are down. I sometimes fantasized, in that extremely stressed out state, about pitching the entire box into the trash, but obviously, I wasn't actually going to do that, because that would be silly. K was even busier than I was (the difference between biglaw and similar to biglaw), so it was either I cook, even though I desperately didn't want to, or we waste food we already bought at a premium price and waste more money to order delivery food on top of that. Obviously, I got myself into that situation and it isn't really Blue Apron's fault, but either way, it's clear their service doesn't fit into my life.<br /><br />Have you ever tried Blue Apron or its competitors? Does the price seem as exorbitant to you as it does to me? (Sadly, for this NYC-based lawyer, I don't think there are many good alternatives, and few that cost that much less.) If you've tried multiple meal kit services, which one is your favorite?&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-54153947507390967432018-05-07T05:30:00.000-04:002018-05-07T05:30:01.936-04:00Will I be Judged for Not Having Expensive Clothes or Bags (in Biglaw)?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Qz7PHaczT0/Wuko7vjYPjI/AAAAAAAAMwM/Hhj47azca4UIFCJQYLJzsGedhEGBlGxWQCLcBGAs/s1600/the%2Bgood%2Bwife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="564" height="408" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Qz7PHaczT0/Wuko7vjYPjI/AAAAAAAAMwM/Hhj47azca4UIFCJQYLJzsGedhEGBlGxWQCLcBGAs/s640/the%2Bgood%2Bwife.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I often allude to feeling some anxiety about dressing more cheaply than many of my peers, and <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/03/on-finances-and-aspirational-shopping.html">sometimes feeling out of place</a>, "too poor" for this profession. It's madness, because I grew up privileged and never wanted for anything. I just don't come from the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/06/transitioning-to-workplace-bags-and.html">kind of background</a> so many of my peers and colleagues seemed to (given, say, how more than half my cost of attendance for undergrad was covered by need-based financial aid). This worry isn't a big part of my day to day life. In the end, I'm reasonably comfortable <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/10/suiting-up.html">wearing</a> my <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Ip2k">J.Crew Factory suits</a> to court and to interviews, and it's all turned out fine. That being said, because I've never been discerning enough to tell the difference between a cheap and expensive suit on anyone else, and because I've never tried on a suit more expensive than Ann Taylor, there's always a part of me that wonders whether other people can tell. I'm confident it's never cost me a job or anything, but this is a profession that values conformity to <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/12/wear-to-work-following-rules-or-not.html">expectations and rules</a>&nbsp;more than most.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So my answer to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&amp;t=287797">this question</a>, which came up recently on "TLS" (the primary internet forum for law students), might be surprising. It's a firm no for women in NYC biglaw. No one will judge you for not having expensive clothes or handbags, provided that items fit you reasonably well and are appropriate for your setting (dress codes and levels of formality can differ quite a bit by firm). I've never been given any real reason to believe my occasional anxiety about this topic is well-founded. I had a hard time with my first-ever law internship because I simply didn't have enough work-appropriate items, and I ended up feeling very self-conscious about how my attempts to "make do" didn't quite work, but since then, I've not had any real problems. Some might assume that at the biglaw income level, there's an expectation to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/82fhj4/lifestyle_inflation_is_a_bitch/dvbjjh2/">wear expensive clothes all the time</a>, but that's definitely not true. Most of us are far too busy to pay attention to what anyone else is wearing, unless it's standing out in some glaringly obvious way.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dvYez0gziQ4/WukvjJQ_yFI/AAAAAAAAMwc/qp_jHifTd50hDcC0gmfysJ-GipnOGNUsQCLcBGAs/s1600/karen%2Bpage%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dvYez0gziQ4/WukvjJQ_yFI/AAAAAAAAMwc/qp_jHifTd50hDcC0gmfysJ-GipnOGNUsQCLcBGAs/s640/karen%2Bpage%2B2.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Out of anything on TV in recent memory, I find Karen Page's wardrobe in Daredevil to be a very good approximation of what biglaw associates wear at business casual firms, with the exception of the dress in the middle (at least without a sweater or jacket).&nbsp;</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The answers people gave largely conformed with my understanding, that the price of the items in your work wardrobe is not a thing to worry about, and that people only notice things that stand out, and generally only because they're not appropriate for the particular dress code culture of the office. Other fashion-conscious individuals might pay a bit of attention to something that looks very snazzy, but that's generally just to notice that their colleague is fashionable and has good taste.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The suggestion of getting a nice watch is a bit off base, at least at the firms I've been at, where most junior associates don't wear or notice each other's watches (the fanciest one I ever noticed was a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IqfU">Shinola</a>). Someone more senior is just as likely to be sporting an <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqfn">Apple Watch</a>, with the silicone sportband no less, or <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IqfE">a Fitbit</a>, as anything else. I myself am partial to Skagen, either the larger <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqvf">Anita</a>&nbsp;or the smaller <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqvu">Freja</a>.<br /><br />The $50 handbag price OP mentioned probably won't get you a leather bag at retail, but can definitely buy a suitable&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqi4">professional-looking faux leather tote</a>. If one is willing to step up a bit in price for leather in the under $200 range, the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqsw">Fossil Emma tote</a> is fairly affordable, and I've also heard someone vouch for the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iquf">Cuyana zipper tote</a>. For non-leather professional-looking bags in the under $200 range, one will always fit in with the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IquV">large Longchamp Le Pliage</a>&nbsp;in black, gray, or navy, or the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iw0a">black Lonchamp Neo</a>. Note that, outside of one's time as a summer associate, when there are frequent social events, or when one is headed to court or off-site meetings, few people will ever see your handbag except when you're on your way in or out of the office for your commute.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZpC2lFx0zQ/Wuk3E_gED6I/AAAAAAAAMws/TG8iujBHAo4dcf3-anxI5ilykGdZuyZSQCLcBGAs/s1600/karen%2Bpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZpC2lFx0zQ/Wuk3E_gED6I/AAAAAAAAMws/TG8iujBHAo4dcf3-anxI5ilykGdZuyZSQCLcBGAs/s640/karen%2Bpage.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My one concern about OP's post was their mention of how they generally relied on business formal-looking things from Zara, not so much because of the price point, but because, in my experience, it is harder to find a well-fitting, definitely work-appropriate item from Zara than from other brands that cost about the same, or only slightly more (Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J.Crew with their frequent sales, J.Crew Factory, and in the past, Loft). I have a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zara.com/us/en/basic-blazer-p02030335.html?v1=5383545&amp;v2=815545">basic blazer from Zara</a>&nbsp;that I really like. It somehow fit perfectly, was affordable, and is made of a softer fabric that is comfier most, but I'm fairly certain that's a rare find. So I'd likely encourage OP to shop more from one of those standard mall brands for workwear. One also finds the occasional piece from Uniqlo (like the&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqoh">smart style ankle length pants</a>) or Old Navy (like that&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqm7">ponte blazer</a>). And of course, there's always the (probably better) option of shopping secondhand. Thredup always has a robust selection of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thredup.com/products/women?department_tags=women&amp;sizing_id=778%2C790%2C813%2C795%2C798&amp;sort=Relevance&amp;text=J.+Crew">J.Crew</a>&nbsp;and most of the other workwear brands. Certain arguably "fancier" brands like&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iqpj">Tory Burch</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IqpO">Diane von Furstenberg</a>&nbsp;can be found for more J.Crew-like prices at TheRealReal.<br /><br />One other thing I'd be concerned about with business formal from Zara is durability. K and I have found that some suits don't hold up that well to frequent wear, even if trips to the dry cleaner are kept to a minimum. As I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/friday-link-list-dress-codes-and-other.html">mentioned in a discussion</a> with <a href="https://touniversewithlove.com/">Archana</a>, even pricey men's suits (his primary interview and court suit is wool from Brooks Brothers, nicer than anything I own) don't necessarily hold up well to only occasional wear over several years. I had thought my collection of older all-synthetic suits (mostly <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IwsB">Ann Taylor Seasonless Stretch</a>) was holding up extremely well, though more recently, I've noticed a rip where the shoulder attaches to the sleeves in one jacket. Previously, the only problems I've ever had were with jacket linings, which do tear with frequent wear. Granted, I don't have any direct experience of whether something from <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IwtF">H&amp;M</a> or Zara would do worse than something from Ann Taylor, but the lesson I take from this is that suits are more fragile than one might expect. Spending a bit more upfront may be a good idea for something that absolutely must look presentable, and for which the need will come up with unpredictable frequency.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Certain other categories are particularly good for "saving" on, such as shoes for wearing around the office, because so many office-dwelling women commute in sneakers or boots and switch shoes at their desk. There are several biglaw associates out there who swear by the <a href="http://www.payless.com/womens-comfort-plus-karmen-heel/70962.html?dwvar_70962_color=black#start=2&amp;cgid=women-pump-heels">Payless Karmen pump</a>, if you're so inclined. I do think people are better served by shoes that are comfortable for walking in, which for me, often means spending a bit more (mostly Cole Haan and Sam Edelman), but one generally only needs fancier shoes for walking within the building, from office to conference room. Court appearances and off-site meetings can be rare for junior associates, so there's not as much need for one's more formal-looking shoes to "travel" well. Still, the need could come up, so I value having walkable formal-looking shoes. For me, that's the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iwm9">Sam Edelman Petty booties</a> in fall/winter and the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Iwnp">Cole Haan Tali bow flats</a> when the weather is too warm for tights. The former are comfortable for a whole day of walking, but the latter are only good for a half day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do people judge each other for what they wear in your profession? I assume that NYC law and finance-type offices are some of the most conservative and formal anywhere in the country, with the possible exception of Washington D.C. (though I imagine the rules of professional dress there are slightly different, and maybe a bit more conservative).&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-29911823768416411512018-05-04T05:30:00.000-04:002018-05-05T12:55:12.660-04:00Link List: Ferrero Rocher and Employment Discrimination<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_a2zZokpkg/WuffaKl0qfI/AAAAAAAAMvw/vqkznVnjgqUXmf1tSJW1GZq2WlonoQBaQCLcBGAs/s1600/sezane%2Bstore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_a2zZokpkg/WuffaKl0qfI/AAAAAAAAMvw/vqkznVnjgqUXmf1tSJW1GZq2WlonoQBaQCLcBGAs/s640/sezane%2Bstore.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The pretty backdrop at the Sezane store downtown.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">That <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/april-2018-shopping-reflections.html">intense period at work</a>&nbsp;I mentioned has come to a close, at least for now, which I'm quite pleased about. K and I had both been busy at the office, so we haven't even had a chance to go see the new Avengers yet. We're big fans of both Star Wars and Marvel, and usually see just about every movie shortly after opening night. Hopefully we'll be able to see it soon!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>This <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/4/24/17275268/sephora-lawsuit-obsessive-compulsive-cosmetics-occ"><i>Racked </i>article</a> regarding a lawsuit between the now-shuttered OCC Cosmetics brand and Sephora was an interesting look at what appears to be standard business practice when it comes to selling cosmetics. It wasn't something I'd ever thought about before, so the article was an interesting read. I had no idea that most brands are expected to pay for their own "fixtures", the shelving for their brand's products in each store. I'm a little less surprised that someone has to cover the cost of "gratis", or gifted items for sales associates so that they can promote the product, but I might have assumed that the retailer covered that.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. // </b>Does anyone else's family have a thing for buying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/ferrero-rocher-chocolates-status-symbol-immigrants">boxes of Ferrero Rocher as host gifts</a>&nbsp;or keeping it at home as special treats for house guests? It's kind of thing for some Taiwanese Americans, both as something we bring abroad to extended family and something that's frequently brought around as a host gift to other households. (From my time living in Hong Kong before law school, they seemed to like Ferrero Rocher the same way there too.) I had no idea this was something that was seen in other communities!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. //</b>&nbsp;This is probably one of the first times in recent memory where an associate (in this case three Jane Doe associates in a putative class action) <a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2018/04/mofo-hit-with-100-million-pregnancy-discrimination-lawsuit/?rf=1">sued their biglaw firm</a> for <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanford-heisler-sharp-files-100-million-gender-pregnancy-and-maternity-discrimination-lawsuit-against-am-law-giant-morrison--foerster-300639108.html">employment discrimination</a>. There have been a few cases with partners as plaintiffs, and many other cases are brought by staff attorneys or contract attorneys, who aren't on the ultra-standardized, ultra-transparent <a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2016/06/breaking-ny-to-180k-cravath-raises-associate-base-salaries/?rf=1">associate payscale </a>that prevails in most biglaw offices in "major markets." Read the complaint <a href="http://www.abajournal.com/images/main_images/MoFoSuit-min.pdf">here</a>, if you're curious.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. // </b>I'm was glad to see that&nbsp;<a href="http://dresslikeanengineer.blogspot.com/2018/04/long-time-no-see.html">Engineer L</a> is back! I'm always happy to see blogs I enjoy come back from a hiatus, if the person feels like it's right for them. (Like <a href="http://bluecollarredlipstick.com/">Adina</a> a few months back.) For those who have ever thought about switching from an iPhone to a Google Pixel, <a href="https://dritgirl.com/2018/04/26/outfit-blue-green-and-kinda-blue/">Michelle's more recent outfit photos</a> may be a compelling case for the quality of the Google Pixel's camera.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><b>5. // </b>As you might have seen from my Instagram stories, I ended up picking up those Soludos llama slip-on sneakers in pink. They always get sold out fast, but I think they can still be <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IvBW">pre-ordered at Revolve</a>. That pretty, light, and floaty, but actually still kind of warm cashmere/silk-blend scarf I bought at Nordstrom last year is <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IvCz">on sale in a few more colors</a>, though sadly, I don't like any of these colors as much as the ones last time. I think my favorite is the pale blush-peach "pink tropics", but the full price "<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IvC4">pink silver</a>" shade is better. That particular Nordstrom scarf was definitely a better choice than the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IvDJ">tissue-weight wool-cashmere one</a> (also on sale, but <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/IvDw">again in odd colors</a>) which is only about equally warm in my experience, but less pretty.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Are employment discrimination lawsuits... common in your industry? I'd always gotten the sense that few biglaw associates would ever dare bring one. It'd quickly go public on <i>Above the Law</i>, (past cases generally didn't proceed with anonymous plaintiffs) and few people would want that kind of notoriety. It always felt to me like a very "you'll never work in this town again" situation. Plus, in my limited experience, most attorneys "know better" when it comes to saying things that could be obvious and direct evidence for an employment discrimination claim, so I'm a bit shocked by some of what is alleged in the Morrison and Foerster lawsuit. I'm not surprised that there is discrimination, I'm just surprised that some people seemed to have been pretty open about it.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-72411768022457186032018-05-02T05:30:00.001-04:002018-05-02T05:30:03.428-04:00The Shape of My Discontent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dSOXHWoanaU/Wp9RLWMCfbI/AAAAAAAALyI/r6ksd1WarG0EOJLhA4ePu-Vc-hFAXRijwCLcBGAs/s1600/photo%2Banthro%2Bdress.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dSOXHWoanaU/Wp9RLWMCfbI/AAAAAAAALyI/r6ksd1WarG0EOJLhA4ePu-Vc-hFAXRijwCLcBGAs/s640/photo%2Banthro%2Bdress.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />A version of this post has been sitting in my pending drafts for weeks, but I could never quite get it right. It concerns a decision I've made, which arises from a longtime <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/05/camera-shy.html">body image</a>-related <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/10/changes.html">insecurity</a>. It's something I've grappled with my entire adult life, more than a decade, so I'm ultimately quite sure. By all standards, including financial ones, it's a significant decision, one that can't be taken lightly (especially in light of my student debt and all my future financial obligations to my family). It's another one of those things that <i>Refinery29</i> commenters, among so many others (including my parents, if I raised it with them, which I probably won't, because it's a personal choice that needs no one else's input) might be eager to criticize because it's undeniable that there are countless arguably better things the money could totally be spent on.<br /><br />I've decided to have breast reduction surgery, and having researched my health insurance plan's guidelines for coverage (only if deemed a medical necessity through extremely stringent criteria that I likely don't meet), I believe I'll be paying out of pocket. Due to needing to save more money, accommodate vacation plans such that medical leave wouldn't result in too much time off from work on the heels of a longer vacation, and a few other things, I won't be consulting with plastic surgeons until sometime in 2019. Anecdotes suggest I should expect a price tag of at least <b>$15,000</b>, which means there's going to be another year soon where my biggest expense will, <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/09/biggest-purchase-of-2017-urgent-dental.html">like last year</a>, be medical, only this time, it's entirely elective, and instead of costing approximately two Burberry trench coats (I had another root canal so my bills were significantly more than reported, but the fancy endodontist couldn't definitively attribute it to the accident, so I didn't include it in the post), it'll cost approximately seven.<br /><br />There's no real way around how strange this decision might seem. Were I to speak of it with anyone who knows me in person, I don't think they'd understand. All the photographs of myself that <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/search/label/outfits">I've ever shared here</a> most likely obscure my size a bit, and I am extremely careful about selecting clothes that downsize the feature at issue. I've <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/march-2018-shopping-reflections.html">even joked</a> that a necessary criteria for clothing is that it has the effect of an optical illusion that hides, or at least balances out, my chest.<br /><br />Make no mistake, my size is one where a brick and mortar specialty shop that used to accommodate me with a range of brands and cute designs barely five years, and two cup sizes, ago now only offers one brand and some dismally boring and expensive <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/10/changes.html">designs</a>. With my most recent size increase, it crossed the exact threshold where a specific brand I used to wear switched from a narrower band with two hooks per row to a more "industrial strength"-looking band with three hooks per row and wider spacing in between. (Given my particular insecurity, when I received that order, I pretty much decided I wouldn't wear the brand anymore.) I probably sound like I have a complex, where I can't be objective, and well, that's probably kind of true. I think one's relationship with one's own body, and the related insecurities, is always going to be deeply personal and subjective. One is always going to be prone to seeing things that other people can't.<br /><br />Whatever else, <a href="https://imgur.com/a/vUt0y">this inspiration album</a> from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/31rang/inspo_hourglass_body_type_style/">r/femalefashionadvice</a>&nbsp;might give an approximate sense of what I feel (except most of the people there are more sharply dressed than I tend to be in my own day to day life, and generally in pieces that have likely seen some tailoring and thus fit better). It's photos of people (both celebrities and some bloggers) who I'd generally identify, from these photos, as mostly being "busty hourglasses" like myself (with one or two exceptions), and it shows that someone who seems very busty sometimes can look much less so in other outfits. See what I mean about optical illusions? Nonetheless, though I think I'm pretty good at hiding it with clothes, at the end of the day I'd just rather be far less busty, and have the ability to wear more styles without being reliant on things having a "just right" optical illusion effect. And I'm willing to pay for it.<br /><br />In trying to explain this, through several different drafts, I could never find the right tone. Because it is ultimately about body image and standards of beauty that feel a bit unattainable (at least without surgical intervention) and oppressive, and because it relates to weight and body size as well, it all sounds rather dramatic and emotionally heavy whenever I try to articulate it. It has its roots in those teenage struggle with feeling <a href="https://www.xojane.com/issues/fat-for-an-asian-the-pressure-to-be-naturally-perfect">"too big" and thus an "abnormal" and "defective" Asian-American girl</a>, after all.&nbsp;Except that, at this point in life, as someone with more self-assurance, confidence, and sense of self, all of which seemed to just settle in quite suddenly starting in my mid-20s, without much fanfare, I started to forget the excessive heights or intensity of those old emotions. I know, intellectually, that I used to get very upset, but I can't remember why, or even, really, how it felt. So it really isn't that dramatic or emotionally weighty anymore. It's a decision I've made, and one I'm fully certain about, full stop, and nothing more to it, provided that I get to a point where I'd feel comfortable paying all at once, which will take at least seven more months. I've had some sense that I might make this decision for nearly my entire adult life, though it had never been a serious financial possibility until now. Now that it is, I'm ready.<br /><br />Financially speaking, I won't be comfortable scheduling a consultation until I have more cash saved. I'll want enough to cover the procedure (let's call it<b> $15,000</b>) and have six months' emergency fund on top of that (currently a bigger number than <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/05/money-goals-first-almost-year-of-work.html">it used to be</a>, mostly because&nbsp;I've refinanced my student loans, and no longer have <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/11/a-quick-guide-to-income-based-repayment.html">income-based repayment</a> to fall back on, and I'm also working with my typical monthly living expenses now, rather than a "bare bones" monthly budget), so more in the vein of an additional&nbsp;<b>$27,000</b>, for a total of <b>$42,000</b>, which will likely take seven more months.&nbsp;Beyond that, there's some logistical issues, including working around vacations and scheduling my medical leave so it won't follow too closely before or after a longer international trip. I'll still have a substantial student loan balance by then, and thus, a negative net worth.<br /><br />Finally, due to the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/01/health-and-wellness-lately.html">dramatic changes</a> to my schedule and my <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/realestate/extreme-commuting.html?mtrref=www.google.com&amp;gwh=75E39DDBDCD8CC0DF7686C1776509BFB&amp;gwt=pay">extreme commute while clerking</a>, I gained nearly 20 pounds in an extremely short time (part of how I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/october-shopping-reflections.html">sized myself out</a> of some of my blazers last year), which I wasn't able to shake naturally just by returning to a more typical schedule. I couldn't really see it myself in, say, <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/mm-lafleur-showroom-experience-and.html">these photos</a>, but it was there.&nbsp;So I'm also trying to shed that before my future consultation. (And I'm on schedule with that goal so far, after about a month's work, at a pound a week.) This was important to me because, if I didn't accomplish this, I'd worry that I could undermine my investment, as weight gain could reverse some of the effects of the surgery. If I'm going to be paying full price, I just need to know it won't be wasted.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-33138144190734501582018-04-26T05:30:00.000-04:002018-04-26T05:30:05.924-04:00April 2018 Shopping Reflections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iiwv7v9HgEc/Wt0EpBHeLGI/AAAAAAAAMu8/AlWEJBKkP0shcafIMQjkHjRiQlkuThtQwCLcBGAs/s1600/april%2B2018%2Bshopping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iiwv7v9HgEc/Wt0EpBHeLGI/AAAAAAAAMu8/AlWEJBKkP0shcafIMQjkHjRiQlkuThtQwCLcBGAs/s640/april%2B2018%2Bshopping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So I guess one thing about biglaw and similar workplaces is that, sometimes one gets lucky and <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/06/a-day-in-life-biglaw-junior-litigator.html">doesn't work late nights or full weekends</a> for months on end, in which case life is pretty sweet, and sometimes one works at the office past 11:00 PM five workdays in a row. The former was true for me for almost my entire year in biglaw. And the latter has, less fortunately, been true for my past two weeks. It's just the nature of the job, alas!<br /><br />I'd&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/march-2018-shopping-reflections.html">promised</a> to <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/february-2018-shopping-reflections.html">dial back</a> my shopping, though it's taken me a while to fulfill that. I think I've started doing so this month, at least a bit, and I'm hoping it'll be easy to continue as the weather gets warm at last. It hasn't been consistently warm in NYC yet, to our great collective distress, so I'm putting off that <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/march-2018-shopping-reflections.html">search for tees</a>&nbsp;(thank you again for all of your helpful recommendations!) until a little later. Before I get to this month's shopping, a quick update on those recent&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/pretend-blazers.html">changes to my office's dress code</a>. As I suspected, they didn't actually mean that they wanted business formal all the time, and thank goodness for that!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br />I'm a bit surprised by how much I'm enjoying my&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GQF6">J.Crew Factory Open-Front Sweater Blazers</a>. It's been great, substantial enough for layering under coats in these in-between temperatures, but not too warm the way my thicker sweaters are now. The lapels add a bit of interest (I often wear them flipped up instead of folded down, but both ways work). I've ended up wearing each at least once a week. Oh and the pockets are strong enough to hold my phone without the lines of the sweater getting weighed down (adequate pocket strength is important for functionality, as <a href="https://dritgirl.com/2018/04/11/outfit-pocket-strength/">Michelle pointed out recently</a>). And of course, being machine-washable is a huge plus.<br /><br />That being said, it's not a perfect piece. While the fabric is thick and substantial, I often wish it had just a bit more heft or structure, so it'd lie a bit straighter and more flat over my clothes. This is a complaint I have about a lot of sweaters trying to look like jackets, they just don't have the same structure or hold their shape as well. When the lapels are folded down, I always think they'd benefit from being a bit wider. The <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GQG1">J.Crew Open-Front Sweater Blazer</a>, in merino wool instead of cotton (and tagged dry clean-only), seems to look more luxe (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GQGY">more store photos</a> from Nordstrom, where it's sold out) in just about every way, and is more intentionally oversized. (Also seen on <i><a href="http://www.featherfactor.com/2018/04/a-few-product-reviews-everlane-j-crew-madewell.html">Feather Factor</a>&nbsp;</i>and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg_LGJ8B-5o/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=thepreppyphd">here</a>.) But because I couldn't see myself machine-washing it, the J.Crew version wouldn't ever be practical for me.<br /><br /><b>Fashion - (TOTAL: $122.50)&nbsp;</b><br /><ul><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GXTU">Old Navy Classic Ponte-Knit Blazer</a> - $34.00 -</b>&nbsp;Although I didn't need more business formal, there's a definite space in my closet for a truly machine-washable "pretend" blazer that looked more like a real blazer than a sweater. Cat recommended this Old Navy <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/shoe-shopping.html#comment-3803821755">blazer</a>, and it's great for this. I sometimes think ponte feels too "heavy" and thus uncomfortably constricting. Despite having stretch, it doesn't always have enough "give." (I felt this while trying on the <a href="https://brassclothing.com/products/the-ponte-pant?variant=25154280641">Brass ponte pants</a>, for instance.) This particular ponte doesn't have that issue, its a "softer" stretch that doesn't feel too tight over my shoulders. (These days, especially when I put on an older blazers that I've borderline been sized out of, I often feel like I'm about to "hulk out," so this is a nice change.) Note that this runs quite big, I kept the <b>small</b> here, but could have sized down to <b>extra small </b>because there's still room in the chest and it's stretchy. Given that I'm a <b>10P </b>in <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/G3OW">J.Crew Factory's blazers</a>, I really shouldn't be a S or XS in any blazer. It'd also fit better if it was offered in petite sizing, as the body is a little long, and the waist could be placed a bit higher, though the sleeves are a fine length for me.</li><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GXTK">Old Navy Sleeveless Tie-Neck Shift Dress</a> - $15.00 - </b>When ordering the blazer, I added some summer dresses for free shipping. (I know, bad thing to do from either a minimalism or frugality perspective, and it's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/sunday-reading-on-shopping-bans-fasts.html">how I used to</a>&nbsp;end up a Sephora VIB every year despite rarely wearing makeup and getting the vast majority of my skincare elsewhere.) Most didn't fit well, or the color/print combinations seemed off, except with this. I spend most of my summer in more relaxed-fit cotton, silk, linen, or viscose/rayon dresses (all fabrics I find breathable and comfortable for summer humidity). Most don't hold up well to frequent wearing and washing, <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/10/more-than-one-year-later-updated.html">the silk ones</a> especially, so they end up getting worn out much faster than my other clothes, and I generally feel like I have a shortage of them. Admittedly, I'm not sure that rayon, like in this dress, is much better, as my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/09/august-shopping-reflections.html">last set of casual rayon summer dresses</a>&nbsp;(more "jersey-like" rayon rather than this "polyester-texture"/"faux-silky" rayon) shrank up from being machine-washed in cold water and line dried.&nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GXUG">Wolford Neon 40 Tights</a> - </b>$36.75 x2 =<b> $73.50 -</b>&nbsp;I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/12/november-shopping-reflections.html">recently started</a>&nbsp;buying more expensive tights, after becoming dissatisfied with the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/G5jY">Uniqlo heattech tights</a>&nbsp;(a new pair I bought in late 2016-ish was harder to stretch than past pairs and uncomfortable to put on). I've found that I like both my <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GXWc">Wolford Pure 50</a> tights and <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/G314">Falke 50 denier</a> tights (thanks to <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/">Luxe</a> for the recommendation!) equally. They're both comfortable and sturdy so far, despite several accidental run-ins with a jagged edge of a desk drawer, and they stay put throughout the day, with no rolling down at the waistband. I've been considering whether to discard my old Uniqlo tights, even the ones from longer ago that don't have the odd difficulty stretching, because they have the rolling down at the waist issue, and are that much less comfortable than my "better" pairs. Two new pairs should be enough to replace the outgoing ones. 50 denier tights are also a bit too thick for current temperatures. I don't like the fabric texture on these as much as the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GXWc">Wolford Pure 50</a> though. They have an odd sheen.&nbsp;</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />How was your shopping month? Are you also looking forward to warmer weather? I must say, I'm always taken aback by how fast time passes now that I'm not a student anymore, even if it's been nearly three years now. To think that, if I were still in school, it'd be almost time for final exams (always a particularly big, stressful production for law students). I miss being a student, but I'm glad not to have final exams ever again. Though my recent string of very long days and nights at the office are probably as intense as exam period got sometimes!&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-15544660582106431602018-04-23T05:30:00.002-04:002018-04-23T05:30:00.461-04:00Favorite Teas of the Moment<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOkmz0ZQ8s4/Wtu47BSc67I/AAAAAAAAMuI/1IKA2RMUoVgLXqD6fOG05gTnJy5J2jaBACLcBGAs/s1600/anthro%2Bmug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOkmz0ZQ8s4/Wtu47BSc67I/AAAAAAAAMuI/1IKA2RMUoVgLXqD6fOG05gTnJy5J2jaBACLcBGAs/s640/anthro%2Bmug.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GWTh">Zoysia mug</a>&nbsp;from Anthropologie.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a few months now since <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/a-cup-of-tea.html">I stocked up on</a> a set of new items to facilitate my tea-drinking habit at work, in large part so I'd stop using disposable cups at the office. Unsurprisingly, I've put my new purchases to good and frequent use. Since that time, my tastes in tea have shifted a bit from when I started (and I'd expect them to shift back and forth over time, from old favorites to new ones, and back again) and so my tea collection has multiplied. I thought I'd share some of the varieties I'm enjoying right now, because I think they're so delightful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few months ago, when I first bought my new mugs and infusers, I was having a bit of a flavored green tea phase. I'd just bought some <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GWH6">Palais des Thes The du Hammam</a> (a strongly scented blend with fruit, rose petals, and what I think smells like vanilla, though the flavor is milder than the fragrance suggests) and also some <a href="https://www.harney.com/products/chinese-flower-1">Harney &amp; Sons Chinese Flower</a> (not as much scent, has a lot of citrus flavor). For less flavored, or unflavored teas, I was mostly drinking Chinese green teas, including loose leaf mao feng green and jasmine pearls from my local Fairway.<br /><br />After a while though, I started wanting a slight change of pace. The flavored teas are nice, but not as suitable as a once a day (or more often) staple. I was also finding that, at the moment, the Chinese green teas felt a bit too mellow to me (including a sample of <a href="http://www.adagio.com/green/dragonwell.html">dragonwell</a>, lovely but so mild,&nbsp;that I added to my order <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/friday-link-list-raspberry-tea-and.html">when I got</a> that <a href="http://www.adagio.com/flavors/raspberry.html">raspberry black tea</a> from Adagio Teas), so I was interested in adding some more assertive green teas to my rotation.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my somewhat limited experience, of mostly just the last few months, many Japanese green teas tend to be more assertive. I'd gotten some <a href="https://www.harney.com/collections/all/products/japanese-sencha">Japanese sencha</a> (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/GWMe">similar from Barney's</a>) earlier that felt like a revelation, it was so different from other green teas I was used to, with a lot of character and some notes I'd describe as vegetal or grassy (in a pleasant way). So I stuck to Japanese green teas for my next order, and ended up with two that I adore, and could drink all day, both from Harney &amp; Sons this time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vvxhwCBrog/Wtu7Ap8OC4I/AAAAAAAAMuU/oe5IMCtKxYI5xmzsQ7YdaSE6QM-HaznJACLcBGAs/s1600/harney%2Bgenmaicha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="419" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vvxhwCBrog/Wtu7Ap8OC4I/AAAAAAAAMuU/oe5IMCtKxYI5xmzsQ7YdaSE6QM-HaznJACLcBGAs/s400/harney%2Bgenmaicha.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.harney.com/products/genmaicha">Harney &amp; Sons genmaicha</a> is delicious. I've had a few other genmaichas in my time, mostly in tea bags, or even loose leaf from a supermarket, and I'd never been terribly fond of it before. With the less fancy versions, all the same elements are there, the taste of the the roasted rice and so on, but the flavors don't come together as well. It was something I liked okay, but would rarely reach for if I had other options. Getting this fancier loose leaf stuff was really something else, though. All the same elements, but it tastes so much better and there's less bitterness. I'd be perfectly happy to drink this all day long (which at my usual rate of tea consumption means four cups a day, brewed from two different servings of the loose leaf, sometimes more if we're busy and working through dinner). I do find that the contrast between the intensity of flavor I get from the first versus the second brew is more pronounced than with any of the other (many) teas I'm currently drinking. This one holds up noticeably less well to a second brewing.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ht7yvk8iNz4/Wtu7m4LX3GI/AAAAAAAAMuc/usy-nlMzwa8mT4fhmV4_enTQ7xKIf_EKQCLcBGAs/s1600/harney%2Bbuckwheat%2Bmatcha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ht7yvk8iNz4/Wtu7m4LX3GI/AAAAAAAAMuc/usy-nlMzwa8mT4fhmV4_enTQ7xKIf_EKQCLcBGAs/s400/harney%2Bbuckwheat%2Bmatcha.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.harney.com/products/roasted-buckwheat-matcha">Harney &amp; Sons roasted buckwheat matcha</a> may have been partially responsible for my recent matcha latte phase, though, in actuality, I find the flavor profiles very different. While my matcha cappuccino from Cha Cha has that matcha bitterness, which I enjoy, there's really no bitterness at all to this roasted buckwheat matcha.&nbsp; The buckwheat has a bit of natural, nutty flavor, almost a sweetness to it, which seems to balance the matcha well. I can also credit <a href="https://touniversewithlove.com/2018/03/09/a-tea-story-zero-waste-edition/">Archana's description</a> of plain roasted buckwheat tea with opening my mind to this option. I got both the Harney &amp; Sons roasted buckwheat matcha and the <a href="https://www.harney.com/products/matcha-iri-genmaicha">genmaicha with matcha</a>, and while I love the plain genmaicha, the matcha combination with it just doesn't work as well for me. Maybe because the genmaicha doesn't have the same natural sweetness, it doesn't make as good a combination with the matcha? Also note that neither of these matcha-blended teas taste that much like what I'd expect pure matcha to taste like. Though I wouldn't necessarily know, because I've only had matcha lattes otherwise.<br /><br />Anyone have more favorite teas to recommend? Should I open my mind to other varieties beyond green teas? For all that I own a slightly shocking number of different teas (my collection has multiplied considerably since <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcFWiWnnZ1U/?taken-by=aninvinciblesummerblog">I took this photo</a>), I tend to stick to my comfort zones, mostly green tea and oolong, with the occasional sample of white tea. I think the raspberry black tea is the only black tea I've ever really liked.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-30184210112592572672018-04-16T05:30:00.001-04:002018-04-21T18:42:10.378-04:00Things I Like Lately <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qw3q087fSa8/WtPh1gK6ehI/AAAAAAAAMi4/ZrhqaRMwSgYgQcAzjTDtkwoQgwHBkgOgQCLcBGAs/s1600/cha%2Bcha%2Bmatcha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qw3q087fSa8/WtPh1gK6ehI/AAAAAAAAMi4/ZrhqaRMwSgYgQcAzjTDtkwoQgwHBkgOgQCLcBGAs/s1600/cha%2Bcha%2Bmatcha.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign at Cha Cha Matcha. I've gone an embarrassing number of times recently.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />We're finally starting to see some warm weather, though only in fits and starts. This past Saturday was lovely, almost summer-like, but without the humidity. A few of my law school friends and I had a free day to walk around. We went to Nolita for brunch and hung out in Williamsburg. I expect things to be busy until the end of the month, but might have a bit of a lull after that, which will be nice. Here are a few of the smaller things that have been on my mind in recent weeks:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The (Matcha) Latte Factor</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because of the busy period at work, I started to develop a daily coffee habit, though that mostly just meant coffee from the communal pot at work, or from the office K-cups. (I get a&nbsp; coffee shop latte maybe once or twice <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/money-diary-not-entirely-typical-week_73.html">a week</a>, and don't consider it a big deal.) More recently, though, I had a sudden craving for matcha lattes, and got one every day for an entire work week. I may anticipate continuing the habit in the near term. People who are trying to be more money-conscious are supposed to watch out for the "<a href="https://davidbach.com/latte-factor/">latte factor</a>", but it seems like my problem is more the matcha latte factor, ha!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I started with one from Starbucks which I like, although I'm fully aware their green tea powder is <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/starbucks/comments/425kcw/is_there_a_new_unsweetened_green_tea_latte/">slightly more sugar</a> than matcha. Then I remembered that we had a very trendy shop near us, a branch of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chachamatcha/?hl=en">Cha Cha Matcha</a>, and I figured I should try it. I actually didn't like their matcha latte, as the milk diluted the matcha so much there wasn't any flavor left. I added sugar just so it would have some taste. Their matcha "cappuccino", with at least a third less milk, maybe closer to half, tasted much better though, with some of the bitterness that matcha is supposed to have, and I don't add sugar then. At least there's a loyalty card, so I'll get a free drink once in a while?&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In all seriousness I may not feel that bad about this expenditure, even if it's really, really indulgent. I think making matcha properly would be a significant investment because good matcha is expensive (i.e. <a href="http://www.adagio.com/masters/uji_matcha.html">here</a> or <a href="https://www.harney.com/products/unjonotomo-matcha">here</a>) and the need for at least a whisk (though I wouldn't expect to spend as much as on this set from <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYrR">Anthropologie</a>, of course). Also, I think having all the accoutrements for matcha latte making at the office would be a bit conspicuously "too much" and weird, and er, take an awkwardly large chunk out of my billable time each day.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Flat Shoes and Achey Feet</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've worn my new <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYvl">gold shimmer M.Gemi Felize</a>&nbsp;maybe ten times, usually for a full day of work, including my commute, which I think is enough for me to give a fuller assessment. They've done great, were comfortable the first day for a full day at the office, and have held up well. I'd worried that the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/shoe-shopping.html">driving moccasin-style shoe</a>, with rubber stoppers rather than a full sole, would get completely destroyed quickly, given all the walking one does in the city, but it's actually been fine. Only a tiny spot of the sole, right at the edge of the heel of each shoe, has rubbed against the ground and has any signs of wear. (The gold shimmer effect did rub off quick in those two small spots though.) I do walk more cautiously in these shoes than any others I own, and am extremely careful about checking the weather forecast before I wear them out. Still, the shoes are pretty impressive, to be comfortable for an entire day. Compare that to my <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYwO">Cole Haan Tali bow flats</a>,&nbsp;which are great for a half-day of going to meetings or court, but leave my feet with noticeable aches if I try to wear them all day, including on my commute.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm still not super sold on the M.Gemi business model, which relies entirely on frequent, limited-edition releases, because that's just not practical for me. I waited a year or more for leather Felizes to come back, and at the moment, they <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYwp">only really have suede ones</a>&nbsp;again.&nbsp; They don't release classic colors all that often either.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Bullet Journal Experiment</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm quite a few months into using a <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/on-notebooks-organization-tools-etc.html">bullet journal-like system</a> for keeping track of my weekly to-do lists and some longer-term things. By now, I've settled on a weekly layout that I like, after a bit of experimenting. I don't go to any effort to make it especially neat or pretty, and only use black ink, with an occasional thing in blue or red when I'm tracking something and want to visualize progress more easily. I'm happy with the <a href="https://amzn.to/2qziMSd">Leuchtturm1917 medium dotted journal</a> I picked, though the cover is starting to show some wear and tear with daily use.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now that I'm pretty sure that this is going to be a long term habit, I'm thinking of getting a more durable cover for my notebook, as I think I might start getting annoyed at seeing the increasing wear and tear on the cover over time. There's <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYOq">tons of choices</a> on Etsy, including fun printed <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYH8">fabric ones</a>, though that may be a little too cutesy for my needs. There are also quite a few shops selling leather covers, which should suit better. My favorites so far might be <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYJ7">this one</a> from a shop called Uncommon Elephant based in North Carolina, and I also like the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYL1">purple or blue colors</a> from Balabanoff,&nbsp;a shop based in Ukraine. Finally, I don't think this is the direction I'll go in, but Crazy Organized in Australia does some <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FYN3">really cool paint effects</a> on leather covers.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyone else a matcha fiend? The vibe at Cha Cha Matcha is a bit too painfully hip for me (store specifically designed to be Instagram-friendly, and the fancier drinks are expensive and sound fussy and odd), but the matcha cappuccino tastes really good.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-27057829896459168382018-04-11T05:30:00.000-04:002018-04-11T05:30:30.747-04:00(Wednesday) Link List<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SBPwxdOFclc/Wsw4mcUr0CI/AAAAAAAAMbU/kMnnR9MbyQAr_PaO2uEtgZHHvwpMNdyCQCLcBGAs/s1600/aiko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SBPwxdOFclc/Wsw4mcUr0CI/AAAAAAAAMbU/kMnnR9MbyQAr_PaO2uEtgZHHvwpMNdyCQCLcBGAs/s640/aiko.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going back to an older photo - hanging out with my sister's dog!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I received some fantastic news recently regarding one of my pro bono matters. We had a far better outcome than I could have dreamed of when we started, and I was so happy! I'd been so worried about this case so many times in the last few months. I generally don't do a very good job "disconnecting" from my cases, and get emotionally invested. It's been fine so far, though I worry about how devastated I would be the first time one of my cases turned out poorly.<br /><br />I'm experimenting with posting link list posts whenever I have one ready, rather than only on Fridays. It would still only happen once a week at most, I think, as I'm not able to blog that frequently. I think I've been finding my previous self-imposed "Friday Link List" and "Sunday Reading" concepts a bit more formal and restrictive than needed, given that it isn't realistic for me to make either feature a weekly thing, and I prefer flexibility.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>This is sort of random, but I enjoyed this <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/3/29/17156818/19th-century-mourning-veil"><i>Racked</i> article</a> about Victorian mourning dress, in particular a type of fabric called mourning crape. There's also this <a href="https://jezebel.com/death-becomes-her-the-dark-arts-of-crepe-and-mourning-1651482333">older <i>Jezebel </i>piece</a> about Victorian mourning dress.<br /><br /><b>2. // </b>Anyone else a fan of <i>Grey's Anatomy</i> back in the day? I loved seasons one and two, though stopped watching around season three before revisiting the series years later and racing through all of what was available on Netflix at the time. The series was always a bit too dramatic to be plausible, but I really love the Cristina character and her friendship with Meredith.<br /><br />There's a <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2018/04/sandra-oh-killing-eve.html">good recent interview</a> with Sandra Oh, which touches on, among other topics, how racism has affected her career. She discusses how, when her agent called about the offer to play one of the two leading roles in the new BBC America show <i>Killing Eve</i>, she just couldn't believe it:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-small;">In that moment, I did not assume the offer was for Eve. I think about that moment a lot. Of just going, how deep have I internalized this? [So] many years of being seen [a certain way], it deeply, deeply, deeply affects us. It’s like, how does racism define your work? Oh my goodness, I didn’t even assume when being offered something that I would be one of the central storytellers. Why? And this is me talking, right? After being told to see things a certain way for decades, you realize, “Oh my god! They brainwashed me!” I was brainwashed! So that was a revelation to me.</span></blockquote><div>Anyway, it's probably not a surprise that I spend a lot of time thinking about Asian American representation. There's more in the interview too.&nbsp;</div><br /><b>3. //</b>&nbsp;A few blog links: Happy one-year blogiversary <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/year-blogging-the-luxe-strategist-turns-one/">to Luxe</a>! She always writes really great, thoughtful content, so I'm glad I discovered her blog. <a href="https://yetanotherpfblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/be-entitled/">YAPFB</a> wrote about some good, helpful lessons she learned in her job, and that she hopes to pass on. I see them as lessons that are applicable to many industries, including law (though alas, for a junior biglaw associate, applying things like boundary-setting to protect your own health and well-being may be complicated, given firm hierarchies and the expectations of the industry). <a href="https://www.ethelgrace.net/diary/the-big-shower-reveal">Talia's shower renovation</a> turned out beautifully!<br /><br /><b>4. // </b>A few discussions to highlight: I was grateful for all the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/march-2018-shopping-reflections.html">tee recommendations</a>. Because the weather is still quite cold, I haven't gotten around to shopping yet, but I'll refer back to the recommendations when I'm ready! Also, I really appreciated the discussion about&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/on-house-cleaning-and-sometimes-living.html">whether to hire someone to clean</a>, and seeing how everyone approaches this question differently. It seems like such a small, mundane question, and one that should be easily resolved (and indeed, if K and I were both working truly long hours, we'd just go for it already), but there's actually a lot that goes into it sometimes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. // </b>Also from <i>Racked</i>, though it's been covered everywhere else at this point, there is some <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/4/6/17201884/deciem-the-ordinary-brandon-truaxe-social-media">drama going down at Deciem</a>, the company behind <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/E12E">The Ordinary</a>&nbsp;brand skincare products, mostly thanks to its CEO, who seems to be... going through some things. I'd been intrigued by The Ordinary's products for a long time because of their modest pricing combined with their focus on scientifically proven ingredients, though I've been unable to try them because I was following my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/06/the-cost-of-course-of-dermatologist.html">dermatologist's instructions</a>, which included a directive to stick to a <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/08/the-minimalist-skincare-routine.html">very minimal for me</a> skincare routine. With all the drama, I'm more reluctant to try anything from The Ordinary.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. // </b>Finally, I've done a bit of window shopping recently, and I noticed that a few of the Ted Baker long wrap coats, like the one <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/04/march-shopping-reflections.html">I bought last year</a> (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FcXs">similar</a>, on sale but only left in one size), are on sale. There's a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FcV5">burgundy one in a</a>&nbsp;a textured 100% wool rather than the smoother-textured wool/cashmere/synthetic blend of my coat. There's also a few other coats in their more standard blend, including a&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FcWT">gray one with a pink contrast lining</a>.<br /><br />I was really intrigued by this <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/FcY0">Uniqlo two-way tuck design te</a>e,&nbsp;as the gathered knot detail seems identical to the one on my favorite shell for&nbsp; under my suits, a very old cream-colored Ann Taylor top that's pictured in <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/02/interview-outfits-basics-on-student.html">my post about interview clothing</a>. Because I'm quite busty, not a lot of tops I wear under suits look that great (the proportions are odd when tucked in to a pencil skirt), but that sort of v-neck effect anchored by the gathered knot makes the neckline hit in the exact right place to be fully covered-up, but still flattering. Of course, my Ann Taylor top is a completely different material - two layers of polyester, meant for work - while the Uniqlo top seems to be a single layer of cotton-modal tee material, so it's very likely not to look at all similar. I might be tempted to try it anyway, on the off chance it has that same magical effect.<br /><br />Any thoughts about The Ordinary drama? Anyone else as fond of Cristina Yang as I am? I don't like the recent seasons of <i>Grey's Anatomy</i> as much, but Ellen Pompeo and Shonda Rhimes have really accomplished something impressive with how long the show's been on the air!&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-57177154483878428702018-04-09T05:30:00.001-04:002018-04-09T05:30:00.313-04:00Money Diary: Not an Entirely Typical Week, Part 2<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTGbJI9USXY/WsWM387rn1I/AAAAAAAAMXU/d4Ty5kTOHf8lREwZx_ZY5LfW-jGbcJVXwCLcBGAs/s1600/alison%2Broman%2Bcookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="564" height="358" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTGbJI9USXY/WsWM387rn1I/AAAAAAAAMXU/d4Ty5kTOHf8lREwZx_ZY5LfW-jGbcJVXwCLcBGAs/s640/alison%2Broman%2Bcookie.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via<i> <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019152-salted-chocolate-chunk-shortbread-cookies">New York Times Cooking</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">And now for Part 2 of the Money Diary I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/04/money-diary-not-entirely-typical-week.html">started last week</a>, covering a not so typical week. While much of my spending this week was routine, such that this diary gives a pretty good snapshot of my&nbsp; daily life, there were also a few things that don't commonly happen, such as my getting inspired to bake, which required lots of new supplies.&nbsp;</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4usJvdWdxAs/WsWQ8byJ3pI/AAAAAAAAMX8/M5TpcXR19HQ0lRdt5corcaein4IcJqQdQCLcBGAs/s1600/thursday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="700" height="233" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4usJvdWdxAs/WsWQ8byJ3pI/AAAAAAAAMX8/M5TpcXR19HQ0lRdt5corcaein4IcJqQdQCLcBGAs/s400/thursday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I get a latte at Starbucks on my way to work, for <b>$5.17</b>. I have a soft spot for lattes, though I try to keep it under control, and it's definitely not an every morning habit. In more stressful weeks, though, I might end up going as much as three times. I use the Starbucks app, and occasionally get a free drink, though it takes a while to accumulate the "stars" required.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today is more interesting because a few of my recurring expenses are being paid. The first is&nbsp;<b>$81.14 </b>for<b>&nbsp;</b>one of my student loans, an institutional loan from undergrad (very small, 5% interest as opposed to ~7.2% for my graduate student loans, and it was part of a generous need-based financial aid package mostly comprised of grants). This is my only autopay bill. I normally prefer to feel more "active" in managing my money, even if that means logging in to pay different student loans three to five times a month. With this loan, however, the servicer's website is a pain, so autopay it is. I've since refinanced my loans at an interest rate of 2.6%, so now I log in to just one place to make payments. Previously, my loans accrued ~$990 interest a month (yikes!), but it's a lot less now.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The second thing is maybe a bit odd. I've <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/october-shopping-reflections.html">mentioned</a>&nbsp;that my Taiwanese-American family does money differently sometimes. I'm prepared to, someday, help support my parents financially to whatever extent is needed, just as they were extremely generous in helping me to the best of their ability (and often a little beyond their financial means) throughout my education. For now though, even as I make significantly more than both parents combined, my mom still tries to take care of me (red envelopes, generous birthday gifts, paying for meals when I visit, and covering the cell phone family plan). That, er, probably doesn't sound good, but I swear, <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/abacus-small-enough-to-jail.html">it will be repaid</a>. At the moment, I send her&nbsp;<b>$60.00</b>&nbsp;per paycheck, twice a month. It's a small amount, more symbolic than anything else. My mom has said she saves it in a separate account and thinks of it as money for travelling someday soon, as she's never had the chance to go to Europe, among other places. (We're planning to take a trip together with my sister soon, sometime in the next fourteen months or so, and I also plan to cover mom's share directly rather than have her dip into those savings.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lunch is my usual kale caesar at Sweetgreen for <b>$11.05</b>. I head home on the earlier side, and pick up dinner from Chipotle, a chicken salad for <b>$9.42</b>. One of the more noticeable bits of lifestyle inflation since I started working is that I often get guacamole with my Chipotle orders now (the height of luxury!), but not today.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For my Friday and Saturday spending, please follow the link below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJik8IQoKTs/WsWUnTJGBII/AAAAAAAAMYU/0oNa3XyeWZUQWJRsheYmgex4Jqel9wR9wCLcBGAs/s1600/Friday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="712" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJik8IQoKTs/WsWUnTJGBII/AAAAAAAAMYU/0oNa3XyeWZUQWJRsheYmgex4Jqel9wR9wCLcBGAs/s400/Friday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Friday! Lunch is Sweetgreen kale caesar again for <b>$11.05</b>. I could eat this every day, and I get it as much as four times a week. Because it's Friday, people start leaving work earlier, and I'm out the door by 5:30 p.m. K and I often go out for dinner on Fridays, though some of our favorite places (like BCD Tofu House) are very busy, and don't take reservations, so it can be daunting. Today, we're feeling lazy and decide to stay in, which means it's time for another joint Seamless order.&nbsp; Last time was K's turn, so now it's mine. We get food from our local Tex-Mex place, splitting nachos and a small quesadilla with shredded beef. The total, including tip, is <b>$34.74</b>. Oh, and the baking tools are here, so while I'm waiting for the food, I unpack them and wash the mixer attachments, mixing bowls, and measuring cups and spoons, so that I can start the cookies later.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We hang out at home after dinner, K's almost done with his "new game plus" playthrough of Persona 5. It's fun to follow along with the game's story. It's now time for me to start the <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/salted-butter-and-chocolate-chunk-shortbread">Alison Roman chocolate chunk shortbread cookies</a>! Given that I'd never baked anything from scratch, it's probably not a surprise that my first effort is... a learning experience.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I watch enough Great British Bake-Off to appreciate that baking is difficult, and that the skill set is different from cooking, but well, it's another thing entirely to experience that firsthand. My first mistake is using the second to largest <a href="https://amzn.to/2JkxZiy">mixing bowl</a>&nbsp;(affiliate link), which isn't quite big enough to fully accommodate all the ingredients while they're being mixed, so there's bits of butter and sugar escaping all the while. The second mistake comes during the middle of the first step, when I'm beating the butter and brown and granulated sugars together "until creamy." A minute in, I realize I don't actually know what that means. It also isn't blending that easily (should have let the butter sit a little longer at room temperature). Having tried the recipe a second time with more success, I stopped mixing about thirty seconds too early this time, and I didn't scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. That's quite a few mistakes now, and makes it that much harder harder to blend the flour with the butter and sugar mixture.<br /><br />I was a bit taken aback by how the dough seemed dry and crumbly, like it won't easily hold its shape or stick together. Between that and the larger size of the Trader Joe's chocolate chunks (I decided not to chop my own chocolate this time), shaping the dough into two logs is difficult. I end up with one&nbsp; that's dramatically larger in diameter than the other, which will obviously result in uneven cookie sizes and baking time later, but decide to call it a night. Now they need to chill in the fridge, and I'll get back to them tomorrow morning. Because of the mixing bowl selection mistake, there's a fair bit of cleanup. Bits of flour, butter, and sugar everywhere!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMpJIUcyuaQ/WsWZ-uOTV_I/AAAAAAAAMY0/bLOEaE5uSvwn_Uk_fsGfvB_yKWDK-2X_gCLcBGAs/s1600/saturday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="709" height="173" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hMpJIUcyuaQ/WsWZ-uOTV_I/AAAAAAAAMY0/bLOEaE5uSvwn_Uk_fsGfvB_yKWDK-2X_gCLcBGAs/s400/saturday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a quick homemade breakfast of eggs and bacon, K heads out to get a haircut, and I continue my cookie-making efforts. Now that the dough has chilled overnight, it's holding its shape much better. Egg wash is a bit stickier than I thought it would be, and I'm not able to get the turbinado sugar distributed that evenly. The recipe recommends slicing the dough logs with a bread knife, but I only have a kitchen knife and hope it will work. Spoiler alert, the bread knife is much better for this job. As I thought yesterday, the chocolate chunks are a bit large, and seems to contribute to the slices sometimes falling apart too easily. The kitchen knife also doesn't slide through the logs as easily, and the slices get stuck the blade, which also exacerbates the crumbling. It's fine to push the crumbly pieces of a broken slice together, though, it'll still come out tasting good. You can see the uneven sizes and some of the broken cookies below.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01XH1eXS1j4/WsourFTZpWI/AAAAAAAAMZU/PIw3EMUZWRwbWnan946itEgdNaevWTZ7gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01XH1eXS1j4/WsourFTZpWI/AAAAAAAAMZU/PIw3EMUZWRwbWnan946itEgdNaevWTZ7gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2636.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My second batch was much prettier...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once they cookies are in the oven, I put in an order on Amazon for a <a href="https://amzn.to/2uQ2Noi">bread knife</a>&nbsp;(affiliate link), again relying on Wirecutter's reviews. I also get a folding stool&nbsp; because with my new baking tools, the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/07/moving-in-nyc.html">storage situation in our kitchen</a>&nbsp;has gotten even more strained, and we'll need to start using the high shelves I can't reach on my own. (There's a highly inefficient lack of cabinets in our kitchen, which brings me great distress.)&nbsp; The total comes to <b>$21.28</b>. After the cookies are done, I make myself lunch from things we already had in the fridge. I also have two of the cookies. They still taste good, despite my mistakes. Some of them are overbaked, because the slices were such different sizes.<br /><br />K comes home in the early afternoon and we both work out in the small gym in our building. That used to cost $500/year for us both, but it's been free the last two years because they've been doing lots of construction. I jog on the treadmill (I was one of those "worst runners in the class" in P.E. all my life, think 12-minute mile, so being able comfortably jog a mile or two on a whim now, and even more than that back when I ran more often, is empowering). I also do some weights, focusing on my arms and shoulders. By the next morning, I end up feeling really creaky in the knees and the lower back, a particular feeling that only comes when it's time for new running shoes. It always comes on suddenly and nothing but new running shoes will fix it (I've only had these shoes for a year and generally only run/jog something between one and two miles once a week, which doesn't feel like much mileage, but alas.) So that's an expense that will come up soon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />A while later, after we've both showered, we get hungry. We decide to go to <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/hometown-hotpot-and-bbq-new-york-2">Hometown Hot Pot</a> in Chinatown. The wait will be long because it's a Saturday night, but it's a large restaurant and it never feels too bad (though will probably turn out to be more than half an hour). K and I probably enjoy hot pot a bit too much, as it's supposed to be a special occasion thing, good for large gatherings, rather than a semi-regular thing we do as a couple. Hot pot was a holiday meal back when I was a child, so it's nice to be able to get it so easily here. It's <b>$36.20</b> a person, including tax and a tip rounded up slightly above 20%. (K and I usually split restaurant bills 50-50, though if one of us ordered something significantly fancier than the other, we'll throw in a few extra bucks.) We'd gotten a cab down because we were feeling lazy, which K paid for, so I pay for the one heading home, for <b>$15.35</b>.<br /><br />And that's it for a whole week of spending, some of it very typical, and some of it much less so. It's probably clear that K and I eat out a lot. That's definitely been a significant area of lifestyle inflation since we graduated law school. We used to stick closely to a <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/02/favorite-modestly-priced-for-nyc.html">more modestly priced selection</a> of restaurants, where we could often get a meal for just about $20 including tax and tip. These days, we still go to some of the same restaurants (mainly BCD Tofu House), but often order slightly more food, so average bills have increased. We're also much less shy about taking cabs now, in part because we're quite far from the nearest subway stop, and aren't located in a good location for transferring to other lines, and also because we work so much that, honestly, the thought of risking some of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/nyregion/mta-train-delays.html">increasingly frequent subway problems these days</a> is just a bit much sometimes.<br /><br />Oh, and is it normal for running shoes to wear out after the minimal amount of running I do? That doesn't seem to line up with recommendations on how often to <a href="https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/when-to-retire-a-running-shoe/">switch out running shoes</a>, as I'm sure I'm getting less than 100 miles a pair. Maybe my problem is that I also use the same shoes for my other workouts? Except all those workouts are on a stationary bike... It's confusing, but that lower-back discomfort I get when my running shoes have had it is quite pronounced, and replacing the shoes fixes it right away.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-87217495593087624202018-04-04T05:30:00.000-04:002018-04-04T13:48:12.373-04:00Money Diary: Not an Entirely Typical Week, Part 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-orFgw8H0cDk/WrB9d8sA0jI/AAAAAAAAMPI/FIOcj_YfnwgUJ_ziXCXIvsqegl-nMXuUQCLcBGAs/s1600/sweetgreen%2Bkale%2Bcaesar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="563" height="443" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-orFgw8H0cDk/WrB9d8sA0jI/AAAAAAAAMPI/FIOcj_YfnwgUJ_ziXCXIvsqegl-nMXuUQCLcBGAs/s640/sweetgreen%2Bkale%2Bcaesar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweetgreen kale caesar, my usual weekday lunch!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">As I mention <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/search?q=money+diaries">somewhat frequently</a>, I'm fascinated by the <i>Refinery29 </i>Money Diaries format and the heated discussions it generates. I've thought about writing my own here, but it's always felt like too much of a production. I make a lot of choices that sound extravagant, so I worry about how people would react. Plus, <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/money-diary-attorney-new-york-budget">past biglaw money diaries</a> tended to be more unpopular than average. It was only after I saw <a href="https://www.manrepeller.com/set/mr-money-diaries"><i>Man Repeller's</i> Money Diaries</a> (thanks to <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/weekend-money-diary-7-going-costco-crazy-serendipitous-shopping/">Luxe</a>'s link), which are more relaxed and more narrowly focused on the week's spending, generally omitting monthly details that hint at the writer's larger financial situation, that I was struck with fresh inspiration.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This week turned out to be a good one for illustrating many things about how I do money, both now and <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/sunday-reading-on-shopping-bans-fasts.html">in the past</a>, when one of my main spending vices, a way that money regularly disappeared without bringing much utility, was shopping on Amazon for an excess of home goods and supplies for new hobbies I often didn't end up sticking with. I don't think that's exactly what happened this week, but it gives a good illustration of what I meant.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYFlB7r05Bs/WrCFMB5cMiI/AAAAAAAAMPY/QZWGdm0UPW4XVnxV_RFjf8XHhcvf2YiMgCLcBGAs/s1600/money%2Bdiary%2Bsunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="722" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYFlB7r05Bs/WrCFMB5cMiI/AAAAAAAAMPY/QZWGdm0UPW4XVnxV_RFjf8XHhcvf2YiMgCLcBGAs/s400/money%2Bdiary%2Bsunday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Starting with this particular Sunday might understate my typical weekend spending. On Saturday, I went out to dinner and took a cab, but was a homebody today. We have breakfast at home, bacon and eggs, and it's almost noon when we're done. I walk to Fairway for groceries. Trader Joe's is just as close and significantly cheaper, but on Sundays it's much too crowded after 10:00 AM. I buy some salmon (pricey, nearly $20 for ~1.6 lbs! at TJ's I'd have gotten ~1 lb for $12) and broccoli for dinner. I wanted less salmon, but some of the stock didn't look as fresh, and the best combination I could get was two pieces totaling&nbsp; ~1.6 lbs. I also grab some other items (cheese sticks, coffee creamer for K, yogurt for myself, not much else) for a total bill of <b>$41.37</b>. NYC grocery expenses are killer.<br /><br />K and I split utilities, household goods, and groceries for shared meals more or less 50/50 (hence the "Actually ~$112" above). We "net it out" at the end of the month and whoever owes the other, if any, does a bank transfer. K's paid the utilities on our behalf, while I bought household goods (like the <b>$5.89</b> Kleenex subscription from Target) and more groceries. We don't go line by line and split all shared groceries though, just pricier items like the salmon, because sometimes, maybe 20% of the time, K does the shopping instead and doesn't keep track for netting out, so I don't track the smaller items I get either, and assume it all evens out. It's a little weird, but it just evolved this way and works for us. We're not sweating the small stuff, actually, though our method might make it seem like we do! Today, we've finally decided to get a bigger vacuum than the <a href="https://amzn.to/2GLgeub">Dirt Devil Scorpion</a> handheld we've used for years. K orders it, and I send him my half right away,&nbsp;<b>$81.65</b>, because it was pricey.<br /><br />As for shared Seamless orders, we take turns paying. Some restaurants are more expensive, but it all evens out in the end. (We order together frequently, at least once a week, often more.) Today's lunch is K's turn, and it's sushi from our go-to place. My two-roll lunch special (salmon avocado and eel avocado) with miso soup costs about $16.00 including tax and my half of a ~$6.00 tip. We're having a quiet day at home, and K does a fair bit of work from home. We each make time for a workout, mostly using a <a href="https://amzn.to/2JecWhI">folding stationary bike</a> we keep in the apartment (which has proven to be a great purchase over the two years we've had it).<br /><br />This is the first thing I'd be judged heavily for on <i>Refinery29</i>&nbsp;(and it deserves judgment on&nbsp; both environmentalism and frugality grounds), but we're also getting a Blue Apron delivery. It arrives in the afternoon. It's normally <b>$51.95</b> for two meals for two, or ~<b>$12.98 </b>per meal per person, including shipping, but today was free with a friend's referral code. We've found that our schedules are too unpredictable to buy groceries and plan meals for weekday dinners, and we're hoping to reduce our reliance on Seamless. I've occasionally written about trying to meal prep and batch cook, but it hasn't worked out so far. I cook salmon and broccoli tonight, saving the Blue Apron meals for Monday and Tuesday. There's enough left over for one of us to eat the rest for a weekday meal.<br /><br />For my spending on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, please follow the link below!<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPv_hDWtv58/WsFsSco8JhI/AAAAAAAAMRw/EFiwCoP08DImAQJ6V5b5doW8v1Zptpp8wCLcBGAs/s1600/monday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="704" height="157" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPv_hDWtv58/WsFsSco8JhI/AAAAAAAAMRw/EFiwCoP08DImAQJ6V5b5doW8v1Zptpp8wCLcBGAs/s400/monday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I pay for the Netflix membership that my mom, sister, and I share, and that <b>$13.99</b>&nbsp;charge posts today. It's a pretty normal day at the office, a little quiet because the person in charge of my current matters is out of the office on another case all week. Here's another thing that would come across poorly on <i>Refinery29</i>, and to pretty much all personal finance bloggers ever, particularly if they're not based in NYC and/or working in an intense industry, but I get lunch out every day, usually a salad. My first workplace had a <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/06/a-day-in-life-biglaw-junior-litigator.html">subsidized cafeteria</a>, where this cost only $5-$6 a day, similar to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/12/friday-link-list_8.html">making it myself</a>&nbsp;with Trader Joe's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/12/nyc-grocery-and-food-budgets.html">groceries</a>. Were I to rely on another NYC grocery store, the homemade salad would cost more than the subsidized cafeteria. These days, however, there's no more cafeteria, so I typically go to Sweetgreen or Chopt, generally ordering online for pickup to save time. Today's chicken tinga salad from Chopt costs<b> $12.61</b>.<br /><br />Because it's quiet at work, I head home right around 6:00 p.m., and get started cooking our first ever Blue Apron meal, a pork chop dish with a "salsa verde" made of parsley and capers (is it really "salsa verde" then?), roast potatoes, and some sauteed kale. It's fairly straightforward, though involves a few more steps than meals I plan myself, and so it takes me a little more than an hour. K arrives around 7:00, and we eat. After letting dinner digest, I work out using our stationary bike at around 9:00 p.m. After about half an hour, I switch to pilates, still using one of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCg_gh_fppI&amp;t=1276s">Blogilates's older beginner videos</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rtgtZuI3xNE/WsF5i0OCgwI/AAAAAAAAMSA/fAFCj4rRY3wLlD4KYePJ2XXCagYF9_0TgCLcBGAs/s1600/tuesday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="274" height="210" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rtgtZuI3xNE/WsF5i0OCgwI/AAAAAAAAMSA/fAFCj4rRY3wLlD4KYePJ2XXCagYF9_0TgCLcBGAs/s400/tuesday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This particular morning is a little special, as I'm getting admitted to federal court! I was admitted to the New York state bar long ago, which qualifies me to practice in state court, but federal court requires additional paperwork and fees. With the Southern District of New York or SDNY (sometimes called "<a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/young_lawyers/publications/tyl/topics/legal-history/the-mother-court-aka-southern-district-court-new-york.html">The Mother Court</a>" because it's seen so many major cases throughout its long history), I've already paid the fee, which my workplace already reimbursed, while filing my paperwork weeks ago. I head down to the Manhattan courthouse in the morning (using a pre-tax transit benefit Metrocard from work) and it takes a while for around thirty other attorneys and I to get sworn in before the judge. Once that's done and I have my certificate of good standing, I hop on the subway to the EDNY in Brooklyn, where I can "waive in" and be admitted immediately, upon paying a <b>$201.00 </b>admission fee that my new workplace will also reimburse.<br /><br />By the time I've finished with court, it's time for lunch. I stop by the nearest Pret a Manger after getting off the subway near the office, because it's faster than Chopt or Sweetgreen and I don't have time to order online and don't want to brave the long line at either place. The salad looks less substantial than what I usually get, so I add a half sandwich for a total of <b>$13.33</b>. Because it's still slow at the office while my colleague is out, I head home around 6:00 p.m. again and start cooking our second Blue Apron meal, cheeseburgers topped with Jalapenos and goat cheese. The charge for our second Blue Apron box, the full <b>$51.95</b>, posts to my credit card today, and K and I will split that. Because of that and the work reimbursement for the court fee, I've actually spent <b>$39.91</b>&nbsp;today.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OC1h0FB7M3w/WsF9OziJHyI/AAAAAAAAMSM/k2sNpi1fbSkdQr6B9qh1XRMtoa-_AUw_QCLcBGAs/s1600/Wednesday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="698" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OC1h0FB7M3w/WsF9OziJHyI/AAAAAAAAMSM/k2sNpi1fbSkdQr6B9qh1XRMtoa-_AUw_QCLcBGAs/s400/Wednesday%2Bmoney%2Bdiary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Now this is a much bigger, more anomalous spending day than I've had in a while! Things remained quiet at the office while my colleague is still out, and during a lull in my workday, I remembered reading about how <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/weekend-money-diary-7-going-costco-crazy-serendipitous-shopping/">Luxe</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/12/salted-butter-chocolate-chunk-shortbread/"><i>Smitten Kitchen</i></a>&nbsp;both made the Alison Roman salted butter chocolate chunk shortbread cookies recently, and how tasty the cookies looked. One thing leads to another, and I decided I shall make them too.<br /><br />Keep in mind that I've never baked anything from scratch before, so I don't have certain key supplies. I haven't done this in years, but an active Amazon Prime membership makes trying new hobbies easy, so it's not long before I have a hand mixer (<a href="https://amzn.to/2GvAaxN">this Cuisinart</a>&nbsp;recommended by Wirecutter), <a href="https://amzn.to/2pWKU25">Pyrex mixing bowls</a>, and new&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/2Inoi1v">measuring cups and spoons</a> (my old plastic set from law school is missing pieces and the numbers have rubbed off) coming my way for <b>$98.11</b>. The baking tools may be the type of thing K and I generally split, but this impulse to bake came over me so suddenly,&nbsp; and is such a random idea, that I consider it a personal hobby rather than a true shared expense.<br /><br />I head home around 6:00 p.m. and go straight to Trader Joe's to buy ingredients for cookies, including salted butter, three types of sugar (white, brown, and turbinado), flour, vanilla extract, and dark chocolate chunks. Normally, my local Trader Joe's is extremely busy after people start getting out of work, but it's not so bad today! I also get strawberries, eggs, and milk, for a total bill of <b>$42.79</b>. Once I'm home, I eat the leftover salmon and broccoli from Sunday night.&nbsp; Today's spending totaled $151.95, but $126.11 of that was all for making the Alison Roman cookies later this week.<br /><br />Part 2 of the Money Diary will come soon, probably early next week! Has anyone else tried Blue Apron or its competitors? I'm a few weeks into our Blue Apron "experiment" now, and want to switch to a competitor to see if I like the recipes from another company better. (I generally find Blue Apron's recipes unnecessarily fussy, and I don't like some of the flavor combinations they seem to rely on frequently.) And yes, I feel bad that it's really a "bad minimalist" thing to do, but it's been one of the only somewhat reliable ways to get us to cook weekday meals so far.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-21177035722311342252018-04-02T05:30:00.000-04:002018-04-02T05:30:00.202-04:00On House Cleaning and Sometimes Living Like a Student<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4nGb7rdN5Y/WsEGXw1e_LI/AAAAAAAAMRg/czSovMj6VysCDe5mbq-CNQL-wEx5GSFEwCLcBGAs/s1600/living%2Broom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4nGb7rdN5Y/WsEGXw1e_LI/AAAAAAAAMRg/czSovMj6VysCDe5mbq-CNQL-wEx5GSFEwCLcBGAs/s1600/living%2Broom.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/161496336622396214/"><i>via</i></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Because of the <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/12/financial-picture-part-1-going-to-law.html">gigantic student loan</a> balances <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/12/a-sense-of-financial-possibility.html">we graduated with</a> (and the yet to be determined extent of our financial obligations to our parents and extended family in the future), K and I still live like students in some ways.&nbsp; Our apartment is furnished almost entirely by IKEA. We are extremely slow and frugal in buying home essentials like a new vacuum cleaner (while my ancient handheld <a href="http://amzn.to/2pgaQV9">Dirt Devil Scorpion</a>&nbsp;[affiliate link]&nbsp;is still powerful enough to keep a small NYC one bedroom apartment clean, we're starting to feel too creaky to keep bending over or crouching to use it) or new cutting boards (I waited two years after our old set started warping to pick <a href="http://amzn.to/2FE1y0f">a new one</a>&nbsp;[affiliate link] - the key is to use <a href="http://amzn.to/2GrSKb3">food-grade mineral oil</a>&nbsp;[affiliate link]&nbsp;for maintenance). We don't pay much for our entertainment, and rarely go to movies, concerts, shows, or bars (in part because of lack of time and energy). We also, don't, er, clean as often as responsible adults probably should.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every time we've had visitors blunt enough to express their opinion about our cleaning, i.e. immediate family members, they've expressed distaste, if not outright horror. Both our moms (who raised us mostly frugal) separately and cheerfully observed, as one of their first comments about our new home, that we made more than enough to hire someone to come in and clean on a regular basis. My younger sister (who had never been the responsible one with chores when we were growing up) bluntly said that we were gross. And we, er, actually did clean before each of those visits.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All of that is an incredibly roundabout way of getting to the point. We're the exact people who probably should just hire someone to clean our apartment and be done with it, though I'm still struggling with that decision. If we hire someone, it will likely cost about <a href="http://www.wecandoit.coop/newpage">$120 a session</a>, and we'd tip another $20 on top, about once a month. This really should be worth it to us, as we're lucky to earn well, student loans or no, and we both work so much and get so mentally exhausted that there's many a weekday evening or weekend where the effort of buying groceries and cooking a meal is too much, never mind cleaning the kitchen or bathroom for real. Also, we seem to lack the cleaning products and know-how to actually get our bathroom completely clean - the white tile floors and shower walls just <i>will. not. be. restored. </i>to their original state. That may reflect an embarrassing lack of crucial life skills on both our parts.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Except on those less often than once a month times when either K or I gets the energy up to a "big clean" alone or together, it never actually takes us long. There really aren't that many spaces and surfaces to clean, actually (partially a product of the small space and our slightly too-big IKEA furniture), and most of it isn't too difficult, except the aforementioned bathroom, for which none of our efforts are ever adequate. So hiring someone might not actually be worth it to us.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Somewhat miraculously, It's also never been the cause of any relationship tension, because our habits and preferences for cleanliness have proven remarkably compatible, with no great effort on our parts. It takes a long time for the apartment to get to a state where either of us are annoyed by mess, and when we do, for both of us, our natural response is to roll up our own sleeves and clean. Despite our unpredictable and hectic working schedules, we've ended up with a fair arrangement, completely without talking about it. The vast majority of the time, he's the one who proactively takes on the "big clean" sessions and I chip in only a bit, if anything, while I'm generally the one to handle the smaller, day-to-day tasks a few times a week, i.e. taking out the garbage and recycling, wiping down the counters, and loading and unloading the dishwasher.&nbsp; (We each do our own laundry and would not have that any other way, and when I cook, he cleans, or vice versa.) I tend to handle the lion's share of grocery shopping, often at times when K's busy with work, and making sure household supplies are replenished (we split the cost, but I handle the inventory management, if you will).&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do you hire someone to come in and clean? Was it a difficult decision? I suspect that, if we had a bigger living space, it would be a no-brainer, but with our current apartment it just doesn't make much sense. It takes about two hours max for one of us&nbsp; to complete one of those "big cleans", a little less if the other person helps, though that amount of work from us has imperfect results, as I've mentioned. Hopefully, we don't come across as being a gross and messy couple! I really do think our moms and my sister were exaggerating a bit.</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-50430267836907523182018-03-30T05:30:00.001-04:002018-03-30T05:30:03.678-04:00Friday Link List: No frills. No bows. No bullshit(?)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QeEYNN32A00/WrxPlgFvRKI/AAAAAAAAMQ0/wAD4RSxBnx8k99eI_MUDFtP1yVs4BzHlQCLcBGAs/s1600/2017_10_25_The_Wing_Soho21687.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QeEYNN32A00/WrxPlgFvRKI/AAAAAAAAMQ0/wAD4RSxBnx8k99eI_MUDFtP1yVs4BzHlQCLcBGAs/s640/2017_10_25_The_Wing_Soho21687.0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wing, via <i><a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2017/10/31/16577882/the-wing-soho-audrey-gelman">Curbed</a></i>.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Things are officially quite hectic at the office, but I'm really excited to be fully integrated with a few big ongoing projects. Full speed ahead, and I learn more and develop more as an attorney when I'm busy!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One small detail about workflow in litigation, more than in some other practices, is that many high-profile or complex cases (or heck, many litigated cases in general) tend to last years and years. For instance, up to this day (and with no realistic end in sight, whether months or years from now) tons of lawyers are still working on cases related to the recovery of assets from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_of_funds_from_the_Madoff_investment_scandal">Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme</a>, a process that began nine years ago. That's far longer than many people's stints at any particular law firm or other job throughout the course of a career! As someone who used to really enjoy that particular feeling of accomplishment that comes from finally closing the book entirely on a project so that I'll never see anything to do with it again, well, that's not something that comes along often, and I'll need to get used to that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>Here's something fussy and nitpicky about <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/DxDk">how Everlane is marketing</a>&nbsp;(affiliate link)&nbsp;their new line of women's underwear. Taglines include: "No frills. No bows. No bullshit." further explained by: "Underwear should be made for you. But for decades, it’s been designed with someone else in mind." I don't love this marketing, though it's not important enough for me to fuss much one way or the other. I'm largely content to shrug my shoulders and note that it's not a product I'm interested in. Those bras have absolutely no utility to me, but that's no surprise in the startups-making-bras context. They generally don't stock my size at all (Victoria's Secret also doesn't, so that's not even a huge deal) or if they do, I just don't trust them to do the job well enough to spend money on trying them out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That being said, I have a question. Are Everlane's taglines for this new product line compelling to you? Does this marketing work? Personally, I'm entirely neutral on frills and bows and the like. 98% of the time, because the items are well designed and/or because of how my other clothes fit, what lace and bows that are present never cause any problem. I've never thought that the frills meant the items were "designed with someone else in mind." In fact, the items I wear are, er, specifically and definitely well-designed for my needs, mainly to hold certain things in place, to allow things like, say, high impact exercise, or even brisk walking around without discomfort. But I'm an outlier, so I'm so not the person to ask.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. // </b>By now you've probably heard of a recent New York City Commission of Human Rights&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/womens-only-social-club-co-workign-space-the-wing-under-fire-for-discrimination">investigation</a> of <a href="https://www.the-wing.com/">The Wing</a>, a startup-y women's-only club and coworking space that was founded here in NYC and is constantly expanding, for possible violations of local public accommodations laws. <a href="https://jezebel.com/the-new-york-human-rights-commission-is-investigating-t-1823334726"><i>Jezebel </i></a>broke the story, and it's <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=the+wing&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=nws&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjex_SUy5DaAhUHTt8KHeZ3BWsQ_AUICigB&amp;biw=1203&amp;bih=636">gone a bit viral</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although the price point and general nature of The Wing means I'll likely never be a customer (the <a href="https://www.the-wing.com/memberships">"all locations" membership</a>&nbsp;is a year-long commitment of $2700 or ~$250/month, I know it's shocking, but at least keep in mind that an unlimited use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wework.com/plans">WeWork membership</a> also starts at $220/month and that's likely the competition they had in mind). At the moment, The Wing's main benefit over WeWork or other coworking space rentals is access to some pretty cool events, including, in recent weeks, one with Jennifer Lawrence (!), one at the Chanel couture showroom that they set up for NYC-based customers, and various other things, both big and small. A friend is a member and has been kind enough to invite me to a few things that allowed non-member guests, including a screening of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Female_Brain_(film)">this film</a> with the director and a few actresses (Beanie Feldstein, of <i>Lady Bird</i> fame, is really cool!), and that's the only reason I know anything specific about The Wing.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't know the laws at issue very well, so no real opining from me. Just because of other <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/abacus-small-enough-to-jail.html">media I've recently consumed</a>, my brain is primed to wonder if we're seeing another example of NYC city government entities engaging in inefficient use of their prosecutorial discretion, but well, that's a half-formed thought.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. // </b>I&nbsp; have a huge backlog of blog entries to read that I'll get to soon, when things ease up a bit at the office, but here are a few other things that I enjoyed reading about in recent days: A <a href="https://athinkinganimalblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/26/getting-married-in-the-middle-east/">wedding post</a> from Jess; a few thoughts about <a href="https://yetanotherpfblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/28/whos-the-audience-for-this-blog/#comments">transparency and personal finance blogging</a> at <i>YAPFB </i>(I rambled a lot there, possibly too much); and a post from <a href="http://www.featherfactor.com/2018/03/do-you-have-help.html"><i>Feather Factor</i></a> about having help, whether hired or from family members, once kids are in the picture. That last thing is a topic I may need to start thinking about sometime in the next few years, but that I will totally avoid for as long as I possibly can. I've thought about it enough to know that I don't see any way around needing tons of help if I follow through on the very likely plan of going back to work as soon as my maternity leave ends (by far the most commonly done thing among my attorney peers).</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-5785978032429386452018-03-28T05:30:00.000-04:002018-03-28T05:30:06.436-04:00March 2018 Shopping Reflections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-An-Ie6W7iLA/WrsMEr_1meI/AAAAAAAAMQk/qaNBm1Ogo5YjC6_hjmW-iMU6XPWAkddAACLcBGAs/s1600/march%2B2018%2Bshopping%2Breflections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-An-Ie6W7iLA/WrsMEr_1meI/AAAAAAAAMQk/qaNBm1Ogo5YjC6_hjmW-iMU6XPWAkddAACLcBGAs/s640/march%2B2018%2Bshopping%2Breflections.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Towards the end of the month, things got quite busy at the office, enough that it drove <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/shoe-shopping.html">the thought </a>of those <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C53m">Soludos llama slip-on sneakers</a>&nbsp;right out of my head. That particular impulse might recur, however, as warmer weather finally sets in. (And there are more spring and summer-feeling&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C545">pink ones too</a>, though they may not come back in stock until June.) As I mentioned <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/february-2018-shopping-reflections.html">in February</a>, this month was almost certain to be shopping-heavy as well, because many of this month's orders were already pending. I'm really hoping to ease up on the shopping for the rest of the year, and I don't anticipate any big obstacles to that until fall. Although I'm eager for warm weather, I don't get excited about warm weather clothes, for the most part.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I likely have a new "<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/current-wish-list.html">wish list</a>" for spring and summer, mostly including one or two cotton tees that fit well and look good, and which I'm willing to spend on. I'm pretty fussy about how tees fit over my chest, a lot of them make me really <i>feel</i> the lyrics of a <a href="http://ew.com/article/2016/04/07/crazy-ex-girlfriend-rachel-bloom-heavy-boobs-lyrics/">certain <i>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</i> song</a>. I secretly want all my tops and dresses to have an optical illusion effect that deemphasizes my chest. Few tees are equal to that task though, as they're soft and unstructured. At the moment, I only own one cotton tee that I wear out of the house, an <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6in">Everlane v-neck</a> in black that's alright, but doesn't have the effect I'm looking for. It's also quite fitted on me, and I'd prefer something a little more relaxed. I think this goes slightly against common wisdom for busty people who want to deemphasize that feature, but a v-neck is not the best neckline for that goal on me. A scoop neck or round neck that doesn't go too high up and shows at least part of my collarbones, seems to be best, though I might need to try on quite a few styles to make sure.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fashion - (TOTAL: $333.74)&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b>C by Bloomingdales Cashmere Open Asymmetric Cardigan - $79.00 - </b>This is sold out, as they discounted it heavily for the end of the season. I totally didn't need this, as I have plenty of wool and cashmere cardigans for winter, but I was sucked in by the sale price. I don't think this is actually asymmetric, it just has a rather exaggerated, voluminous waterfall effect in front. It feels cozy, so I've enjoyed wearing it and it'll get plenty of use.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6aB">M.Gemi Felize, Gold Shimmer </a>- $161.14 - </b>I used someone's referral code for a $50 discount&nbsp; on my first pair of M.Gemi shoes. These feel nice, a bit more refined in construction than the&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6lD">Everlane Modern Points</a>&nbsp;or any given pair of Cole Haan shoes. Between the metallic shimmer finish and how these are my first pair of driving moccasins, with rubber stoppers instead of a traditional sole, I was nervous about the durability. They actually seem like they'll be fine, though, not worse than any other pair of ballet flats I've owned,&nbsp; except that I'd be more cautious about exposure to rain. M. Gemi's business model, which relies on releasing limited-edition shoes, generally in fun colors, means that it couldn't ever be a brand I regularly look to for my footwear needs.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6cZ">J.Crew Factory Open-Front Sweater Blazer, heather charcoal</a> - $46.80 -</b>&nbsp;I wrote about this and other "pretend blazers" or "almost jackets" <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/pretend-blazers.html">recently</a>,&nbsp;things with a blazer look, but that are machine-washable and preferably a bit softer and less structured-feeling.&nbsp; I liked this one much better than <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6e4">J.Crew Factory's other sweater blazer</a>, which was awkwardly long on me.&nbsp;There is a&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6dC">very similar J.Crew design</a>, in merino wool instead of cotton, and dry clean-only instead of&nbsp; machine-washable. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgWfnI9nYYd/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=thepreppyphd">The J.Crew one</a>&nbsp;may have bigger lapels and an intentionally oversized fit.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/C6cO">J.Crew Factory Open-Front Sweater Blazer, heather oatmeal</a> - $46.80 -</b>&nbsp;I rarely get multiple colors of one item, but I have a use for both of these. Although I had plenty of winter cardigans, my collection of spring/summer ones (mostly cotton or linen from Ann Taylor or Loft) was getting very worn out and depleted.&nbsp;</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Is anyone else also far more into fall/winter clothes than spring/summer ones? Any recommendations for brands that do good tees? I think I'll be a bit absent as a blogger and regular reader and commenter elsewhere for a few weeks, as I've hit an unusually busy patch at the office, with two of my bigger projects serving up several important deadlines in a row, at the exact same time. I'm happy to be fully integrated into my projects at the new place, though!&nbsp;</div></div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-15022548534074037912018-03-16T05:30:00.000-04:002018-03-16T05:30:05.573-04:00Friday Link List: Dress Codes and Other Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItH63M75O7g/WqidwrPQFPI/AAAAAAAAMGI/bKfztzmxdxoPlWjuZ582hRNCWRczhRtDwCLcBGAs/s1600/cote%2Begg%2Bsouffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ItH63M75O7g/WqidwrPQFPI/AAAAAAAAMGI/bKfztzmxdxoPlWjuZ582hRNCWRczhRtDwCLcBGAs/s640/cote%2Begg%2Bsouffle.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">K and I recently tried out <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/cote-new-york">Cote</a>, a hip new Korean BBQ place that has been difficult to get a reservation at since they received a Michelin star. We booked four weekends ahead to get something that wasn't 11:00 PM or later!<br /><br />The concept is part fancy steakhouse, with dry-aged beef cooked and served Korean BBQ-style. We enjoyed it, though we may prefer the experience of more traditional Korean BBQ instead (in Manhattan, I recommend <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/kang-ho-dong-baekjeong-new-york">Kang Ho Dong</a>, though they don't take reservations and waits can be long). Pictured above is the "egg souffle", a steamed egg dish that comes free with the "Butcher's Feast" set menu. It's hardly the star of the show, but I'm very fond of steamed eggs, which are also a Chinese comfort food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>I'll bet I'm preaching to the choir, but relatively few things simultaneously confuse and horrify me more than people who disrespect and completely dismiss the contributions of their stay at home partner, particularly after there are children. This is one of those things that I have, luckily, never encountered in real life, just in online spaces, but I've seen so many different flavors of it. I detest this behavior equally whether it is directed at a woman (discussion referenced <a href="https://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.com/2018/02/28/pretending-to-be-a-darth-vader-husband-is-not-cool-or-funny-now-we/#comments">here</a> or the <a href="https://petetheplanner.com/should-you-pay-your-wife-an-allowance/">idea of "Jeff" here</a> and anyone who defends him, though they may all be trolls) or a man (<a href="http://corporette.com/asymmetrical-neck-jersey-sheath-dress/#comment-3766412">Corporette readers were being hyper-weird</a>, and I was floored). I can't even begin to wrap my head around how people get into these mindsets. Anyone who seriously holds that view is being remarkably blind about some things. Granted, if the "Jeff" or Corporette situations are real, the actual problems are probably much deeper than whether the other partner has a job.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. // </b>I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/12/wear-to-work-following-rules-or-not.html">don't always agree</a> with everything <i>Racked</i> publishes about workplace dress codes, but they recently posted two interesting pieces. First was one about the complicated and sometimes arbitrary-seeming rules for <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/3/12/17067462/capitol-hill-senate-house-dress-code-fashion">Capitol Hill staffers</a>. Second, and this made me very sad, there was a piece about the <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/3/8/17096202/women-poc-office-dress-code-professional-attire">dramatically awful dress code double standards</a> that face some women of color in conservative workplaces, when compared with what other women face (which is already not great). I really would hope that lawyers <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_Waterhouse_v._Hopkins">would know better</a>.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">P.S. the author of the second piece also wrote something I've often wanted to share, but never manage to because I disagree so much with her ultimate thesis. <a href="http://gawker.com/girls-who-steal-1687078174">Her description</a> of the bits of snide competitiveness among her law school classmates during on-campus recruiting was so spot-on, except that it's a gender-neutral behavior. I've seen it so often, throughout all stages of law school, from men and women alike.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. //</b> I totally just shared something from <i>Bitches get Riches</i>, but they posted <a href="http://www.bitchesgetriches.com/single-best-piece-advice-women-men-international-womens-day/">something else</a> I found awesome and important. Essentially, it's about the process of getting "woke", accepting and even embracing the rage one might rightly and reasonably feel about the injustice and indignities that one personally faces, which also realizing the importance of fighting for people who are even more vulnerable. It's very real to me, and describes something that is an uncomfortable process and long, winding road. (Pro bono work, generally of the most mundane "<a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/bar_services/publications/bar_leader/2007_08/3206/gideon.html">civil <i>Gideon</i></a>" kinds has been a big part of my life at every stage of my legal education and career except when it was not allowed, <i>see</i> <a href="http://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/vol02a-ch03_0.pdf">Canon 4(D)</a>, as well as contributions to various <a href="https://www.accesslex.org/diversity-pipeline-programs-legal-education-context-research-and-path-forward">pipeline initiatives</a>, but it never feels like enough. There's more work to be done.)<br /><br /><a href="https://sophiewithablog.com/2018/03/12/six-things-i-learned-from-my-first-year-of-blogging/#respond">Congratulations to Sophie</a> on her first blogiversary! Like her, I also feel so lucky to be able to connect and engage with so many smart, interesting people through blogs, and I'm so thankful and appreciative to everyone who reads here. My <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/a-cup-of-tea.html">personal tea-making set-up</a> is a bit different from Archana's, and I <a href="https://touniversewithlove.com/2018/03/09/a-tea-story-zero-waste-edition/">enjoyed reading about her approach</a>. More tea for everyone! <i>JENKR </i>has a <a href="https://jenkr.blog/2018/03/07/picture-day/">lovely home</a>, and I've also been reading along about Talia's <a href="https://www.ethelgrace.net/diary/shower-reno-day-4">shower renovation</a>. K and I will be perpetual renters for quite some time yet, so it's always interesting to see what other people do with their living spaces.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kF6CCK_u0Ss/WqsnCWwSNgI/AAAAAAAAMGw/EJWT4nPn3ckw7kIxKVA0Pja40BiHbLqcwCLcBGAs/s1600/loft%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kF6CCK_u0Ss/WqsnCWwSNgI/AAAAAAAAMGw/EJWT4nPn3ckw7kIxKVA0Pja40BiHbLqcwCLcBGAs/s320/loft%2B1.jpg" width="278" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B8uBg34G__0/WqsnFNVSfUI/AAAAAAAAMG0/tbTo3_EoKz8VsAfzTUJRcRet2AAbM-TjACLcBGAs/s1600/loft%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B8uBg34G__0/WqsnFNVSfUI/AAAAAAAAMG0/tbTo3_EoKz8VsAfzTUJRcRet2AAbM-TjACLcBGAs/s320/loft%2B2.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><b>4. // </b>I'm <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/2017-shopping-budget-roundup.html">repeating myself</a>, but I'm still shocked at how limited the work-appropriate dress selection at Loft has become. It used to be an office-wear mainstay for me, back in 2014 when I built the backbone of my work wardrobe, mostly with a few shift dresses with flared out skirts (<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/07/transitioning-to-workplace-dresses.html">like these</a>, though it's a silhouette I now find a bit juvenile in theory, though I'll keep wearing mine until they wear out) that were easy to find in their "extra 40% off sale" section. In my head, I used to refer to them as a "Forever 21 for working women" at business casual offices, and I actually meant that as a high compliment, in the sense that the ability to build a full work wardrobe quickly at an entry-level or intern price was ultimately a good and necessary thing for me back then and well, even Forever 21 items never actually wore out that quickly for me when I took good care of them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this portion of the post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br />Right now though, they have absolutely nothing in their dress section that I would wear to the office, and only two things I'd consider possibilities were it not for some flaw. This <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BIib">teal floral lace dress </a>is a bit too bright to be an office staple, though the material seems similar to my navy blue <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/08/ann-taylor-lace-shift-dress_3.html">Ann Taylor lace shift dresses</a> (long discontinued), which I like for both the office and for attending weddings. This <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BIfl">navy "flippy dress"</a> with a bit of lace might be subdued enough for work, but I don't like drop waists and the lace might be the kind of trendy detail that ends up looking dated too soon. <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BR4X">Everything else they have</a> is too casual, and is mostly unstructured, unlined polyester dresses of a type that has never looked good on me.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-82889092420441859072018-03-14T05:30:00.001-04:002018-03-14T05:30:09.106-04:00Shoe Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJan_3tfiEc/WqiY5inE5-I/AAAAAAAAMD4/Ozr_um2rb-EnzNo6EndMkMSsbmtVGzZ1gCLcBGAs/s1600/shoe%2Bshopping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJan_3tfiEc/WqiY5inE5-I/AAAAAAAAMD4/Ozr_um2rb-EnzNo6EndMkMSsbmtVGzZ1gCLcBGAs/s640/shoe%2Bshopping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For the most part, I'm not much of a "<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/04/shoe-misadventures.html">shoe person</a>". My taste in shoes leans boring and practical. Often, when I try to experiment with something even a bit more interesting, I end up not wearing them much because of some issue. (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzLP">Everlane Modern Points</a> that never break in, I'm looking at you!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!&nbsp;</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I bought three pairs of shoes in 2017, but two (the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzzK">Sam Edelman Tristan pumps</a> and the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/Bzzi">Cole Haan Tali bow flats</a>) were shoes that I generally only wear for more formal court occasions or for interviews, i.e. the most boring shoes ever. The third were a pair of <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BDCZ">"The Skinny" Fitflops</a> to replace a three year old pair that were peeling at the soles, i.e. another pair of boring (but super comfortable) shoes. I bought more in 2016, but the successful purchases that year also fell squarely into the "boring" category. There was a backup pair of Sam Edelman Petty booties from a sale, which I only belatedly realized were a stiffer, less comfortable <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzIk">new tumbled leather</a> rather than the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzHV">original softer leather</a> I was used to (the texture difference may be visible just from clicking between the two on Zappos). I've still managed to put the newer pair to use with black tights and my suits, and I still wear my old pair on bad weather days, or when I'll be in thicker socks. There was also a pair of <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzJ1">perforated leather Vans</a>, which weren't exciting, but were comfortable and practical.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More recently though, and this is part of why <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/february-2018-shopping-reflections.html">my efforts to rein in</a> my "joy"-driven shopping of the past few months may not be apparent until April at the earliest, I seem to be craving more interesting, fun shoes. To the extent that I indulge (and I have, a bit), I hope I end up with ones that prove fun and practical, and that I will actually wear. By now, I certainly know my own shoe preferences and needs quite well: ballet flats wear out incredibly quickly because of how I walk ad how much I walk so best not to get too extravagant; most heels prove to be a no-go and 3'' is about my maximum heel height; I'm rarely inclined to endure a painful breaking in period so if it takes more than a day or two, it may never happen (I'm talking about the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzLP">Everlane Modern Points</a> again); so on, so forth. So I should be capable of making smart shoe shopping decisions for myself.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/friday-link-list.html">I had thought</a> I would try a shoe that's more on the practical side, probably black leather loafers, most likely the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzV0">Sam Edelman Liors</a> as an attempt to get the general look of the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzWp">famous Gucci loafers</a>. I've been reluctant, however, because the first pair I tried (a near-identical, partially sold out Sam Edelman style, <a href="http://amzn.to/2FQ3P7X">the Loraine</a>), when I could only get a half size up from my usual, was both a bit too long and a hair too narrow, enough that the shoes might stretch to accommodate my foot, but would be uncomfortable in the process. This didn't bode well for how my actual size would fit. In the meantime, I've been distracted from the black leather loafer idea by two things that are quite different, more fun, but also far less practical.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First, I had mentioned my on-again, off-again interest in the M.Gemi Felize if it ever came back in a solid-color leather. Separately, I also had a long-ago interest in a pair of gold glitter flats, thanks in large part to a pair that my sister owned and that she bought while traveling abroad (so I couldn't copy her). Those interests managed to come together when I saw a recent release of the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzRe">M.Gemi Felize in a gold shimmer leather</a>. I'd never owned a pair of driving moccasins before with those little rubber stoppers as a sole, so I have no idea if those are generally durable or practical. The gold shimmer effect is also new to me and of unknown durability. I've had the shoes for such a short time that it's hard to say if I've been terribly foolish in getting them, though they've done well on the two days I've worn them out so far, including to walk between home and the office.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Second, and much more suddenly and impractically, Soludos makes a pair of <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/BzUT">llama-decorated slip-on sneakers</a> (<a href="https://www.soludos.com/products/velvet-llama-sneaker-navy">recently restocked</a> in a full size range). It's even made of velvet (a fabric I normally have no interest in). It's completely inconsistent with my usual taste in shoes, especially the ones that I actually wear. And yet, I confess... I really kind of want them. I'm going to wait at least a week or two before making an order, to see if my sudden passionate desire for them passes, because wow, they're quite a departure from my usual when it comes to shoes!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Are you a shoe person? Are driving moccasins actually very fragile shoes? (Hopefully not, because I've worn the M.Gemi shoes out already, and there's no returning them.)&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-41840740498746799212018-03-09T05:30:00.000-05:002018-04-21T18:41:54.683-04:00Friday Link List: Raspberry Tea and Other Things<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ac0Jhq7f56c/WpoP4483r5I/AAAAAAAALqo/CTHMzw1JMewigDsAR_6veYsc106zTJcVgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ac0Jhq7f56c/WpoP4483r5I/AAAAAAAALqo/CTHMzw1JMewigDsAR_6veYsc106zTJcVgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2429.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Brewing Trader Joe's tea in a David's Tea <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/accessories-1/accessories/teamugs-teacups/nordic-mug-peony-pink-dipped">perfect mug and infuser</a>, first recommended by <a href="http://www.theminuteglass.com/">Cassie</a>. This mug has about double the capacity of a standard mug.&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Around the holidays, Trader Joe's sells a tea sampler gift set. (They used to put it in glass test tubes, but switched to small tins last year, which is more practical.) Most of the varieties aren't too special, except for the raspberry flavored black tea, which I think is great. It smells delicious, has a strong raspberry scent that doesn't feel artificial, and brews a good mellow black tea with just the right amount of raspberry flavor.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In shopping for a replacement, I scoped out some of the bigger online tea shops. Out of all the ones offering some kind of raspberry black tea, I thought the <a href="http://www.adagio.com/flavors/raspberry.html">Adagio raspberry tea</a> sounded like the best fit. I was pleased to find that it was a good, though not exact substitute. The flavor's not quite the same, but it's similar enough to tide me over.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. //</b>&nbsp;Somewhat related to my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/03/money-life-lately-dirty-money-on.html">recommendation last week</a> for Netflix's <i>Dirty Money</i>&nbsp;series, which included an episode about <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-paydaylending-crime/race-car-driver-tucker-gets-more-than-16-years-for-lending-scheme-idUSKBN1EU20L">Scott Tucker's payday lending empire</a>, one of his brothers was also involved in a related business, hounding people over phantom debts. One enterprising individual <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-12-06/millions-are-hounded-for-debt-they-don-t-owe-one-victim-fought-back-with-a-vengeance">fought back</a>. I generally have an easier time identifying with defense attorneys than prosecutors (there's a lot of jumping back and forth in the field, at least in NYC), but when I hear about payday lending practices, it really makes me want to take down bad guys. Our new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the "CFPB", <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/search?q=cfpb&amp;restrict_sr=on">oft-hailed</a>&nbsp;as <i>the</i> agency you want to threaten a report to when one runs into a bank customer service problem) director <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/01/cfpb-trump-mulvaney/551504/">may not be as gung-ho</a> about consumer protection as I am, though.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. // </b>Speaking of <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/search/label/mm%20lafleur">MM. LaFleur</a>, it came up on <a href="http://corporette.com/suit-of-the-week-mm-lafleur/#comment-3779699"><i>Corporette</i></a> recently, and some of their readers had a similar view, that the materials didn't always feel worth the price and that there are fit issues. That discussion also directed me to a MM. LaFleur buy/sell/trade group on Facebook, where a lot of people share outfit photos.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alas, I'm realizing that <i>Corporette</i> is, more often than not, a rather mean place. The person who brought up the Facebook group wanted to make fun of the women there for not fitting some kind of model ideal, or for looking as good as official website photos. Yikes! As someone who has scrolled through a fewposts in the Facebook group, the unpleasant commenter is totally off base. Women of various shapes and sizes pull off MM. LaFleur better than I do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. // </b>Some more fun things from around the web. Someone on reddit made some cool-looking <a href="https://imgur.com/a/QPUdg">fake "Criterion edition" covers</a> for the best picture Oscar nominees. There's a cool daily outfit Instagram by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowgelato/">@yellowgelato</a>. <i>Bitches get Riches</i> <a href="http://www.bitchesgetriches.com/little-princess-intersectional-feminist-masterpiece/">did a post </a>that tied a favorite classic movie from my childhood, <i>The Little Princess</i>, to a helpful explanation of privilege. I've been slowly exploring more personal finance-oriented blogs. It's a slow process, but recently, I'm enjoying the <a href="https://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.com/2018/03/02/ask-the-grumpies-private-vs-public-colleges/">discussions</a> at <i>Grumpy Rumblings (of the formerly untenured)</i>. Oh and I recently made Half-Baked Harvest's <a href="https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-caprese-quinoa-bake/">creamy caprese quinoa bake</a>, which <a href="https://wfhw.wordpress.com/2018/02/12/west-cork-weekend/"><i>Work From Home Wardrobe</i> recommended</a>, and it was easy and tasty, definitely the kind of thing I could make ahead and eat for a few days.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this portion of the post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br /><b>4. //</b> I recently shopped online at Brooks Brothers for the first time. It's a natural thing to try, as a woman in a conservative profession who is ready to move up from the Ann Taylor price point. I must say, Brooks Brothers e-commerce really lags behind that of any other "mall brand". Over the years, I've online window-shopped for suits, and they seem unable to keep a range of those in stock online in a full size range. With one item I ordered in a petite size, they only notified me it was out of stock a week later, except that exact size still shows up as available on their site (as one of three petite sizes allegedly in stock). How strange! Shopping in person is not much better, as the one time I went to a brick and mortar store there were barely any women's items, and no suits.<br /><br />I ordered two dresses, a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/AKvR">ponte shift dress</a> (only one size/color remaining) from the more affordable "Red Fleece" line for younger customers, and a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/AKyk">cotton jacquard dress</a> (availability may be overstated) from their main line. Sizing runs roomier and taller than J.Crew and Ann Taylor, with longer skirts and wider shoulders. The designs accommodate curves pretty well. The Red Fleece ponte shift dress may have been an outlet item, as it started at $78 and was on sale for $58. I shouldn't have been surprised that it seemed flimsy, with no lining and thin fabric.<br /><div><br /></div>Do you have any favorite recipes for making ahead on the weekends to eat for the rest of the week? Are you also a fan of any seasonal Trader Joe's items that you miss during the rest of the year?&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-72383170262406570802018-03-07T05:30:00.000-05:002018-03-09T08:08:26.104-05:00"Pretend" Blazers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olv_3UF5qV8/WpzGY5O7WcI/AAAAAAAALxs/uO7Tf1EZ5-wVPFizuofGxQCa-UwRZPfEwCLcBGAs/s1600/almost%2Bblazers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olv_3UF5qV8/WpzGY5O7WcI/AAAAAAAALxs/uO7Tf1EZ5-wVPFizuofGxQCa-UwRZPfEwCLcBGAs/s640/almost%2Bblazers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, I received unhappy news. Our dress code had changed. Casual Fridays were no more, and jeans no longer had a place at the office. Alas, my brief taste of wearing jeans to work was over too soon. The newly codified rules also contained a textual ambiguity. They arguably required business formal the rest of the week and allowed business casual only on Fridays. (I don't think that's what they actually mean, though.)&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My personal interpretation of business formal for women is that it requires some kind of blazer or jacket, though it doesn't necessarily require the ultraconservative look I adhere to for <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/02/interview-outfits-basics-on-student.html">entry-level attorney job interviews</a>. This creates a slight problem, as I loathe jackets. I find them restrictive and uncomfortable, and they're <i>so</i> not my style. With a chest measurement that's three, as much as four, standard mall brand number-based size chart increments up from the rest of me, they never fit off the rack in a way that feels awesome. (Of course, standard size chart measurements rarely match reality, so it's not as difficult for me to shop as it sounds, though jackets are reliably more difficult than other items.) Tailoring is so expensive here that, for something I dislike wearing, it's unlikely I'll put money down for anything more complicated than hemming a sleeve, especially when I have suits that are "<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/10/suiting-up.html">close enough</a>." And most jackets need dry cleaning, which I hate needing to go do.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br />I'm still pretty sure that business formal in the sense of requiring a blazer or jacket isn't the rule, but in the meantime, I was thinking about how I'd work around the jacket requirement, which does apply at some firms. I'd probably opt for "pretend" or "almost" jackets that have the look, but not the restrictiveness of actual blazers, nor the dry-cleaning requirements. Essentially, I'm thinking of jackets in less traditional materials.<br /><div><br /></div><ul><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/An3G">J.Crew Factory Sweater Blazer</a> - </b>I had high hopes for this machine-washable cotton sweater blazer, but the sizing doesn't work on me. It's too long in the body, which isn't surprising, as I need petite sizing in <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/AtOX">their other blazers</a>, and this is only available in regular. The lapels don't lay flat well, which is an issue I sometimes have in regular blazers too, maybe because my shoulders and chest are a little too wide. Outside of the length, this item generally runs a little large. (I often do better with size medium for more fitted sweaters, but small is the closest size for me here.)&nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/An31">J.Crew Factory Open Sweater Blazer</a> - </b>Another machine-washable cotton sweater blazer, which has a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/AobZ">J.Crew equivalent</a>&nbsp;that is dry clean-only because it's made of merino wool. (I wouldn't experiment with machine washing J.Crew merino wool, as I've experienced shrinking even when washing with cold water and laying flat to dry.) Sizing is similar to the other sweater blazer, but because of the open, more cardigan-like design, I like this much better and may keep it in two colors. (I'm in the market for cardigans because my older ones, mostly from Loft and Ann Taylor, are showing a lot of wear.)&nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/sant-ambroeus-black">MM. LaFleur Saint Ambroeus Jardigan</a> - </b>This is the last item I've personally tried. My main objection, after I ordered it following my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/mm-lafleur-showroom-experience-and.html">showroom appointment</a>, was to the price and the dry clean-only guidelines. From trying it on and seeing it on a friend, it's probably the most jacket-like cardigan I've seen. It holds it shape fairly well, and generally has a somewhat structured look because of the material. I don't think it holds that shape as well if one is very busty, unfortunately, so that was another strike for me. I tend to get sweaty and wash my sweaters and jackets often, so the dry-clean only restriction was a problem. I've seen some internet commenters say they machine wash this and lay flat to air dry, though it's so expensive that I'd get nervous about not following instructions.&nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="https://www.betabrand.com/collections/womens-work-it-collection/womens-collarless-yoga-blazer">Betabrand Collarless Yoga Blazer</a> - </b>This one comes highly recommended by a law school classmate, i.e. someone to whom business formal also means a more traditional, structured-looking blazer or jacket is strongly preferred. I'm intrigued, and likely to put in an order when the black color comes back in stock.&nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/An6r">Banana Republic Long and Lean Fit Inverted Collar Ponte Blazer</a> - </b>I generally can't wear Banana Republic as their styles don't fit me well, but judging by the reviews, this seems like a solid machine-washable blazer. &nbsp;</li><li><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/An7t">Boden Elizabeth Ponte Blazer</a> - </b>This one is often recommended on Corporette comment threads.&nbsp;</li></ul><br />Even as I write this post, I know not to get too attached to the goal of finding a perfect "pretend" blazer that is sufficiently structured and formal looking, but is machine-washable and doesn't feel as restrictive. Out of the items I've tried so far, both recently and in the past (I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2015/01/january-shopping-reflections.html">once bought</a> a more casual, machine-washable red twill jacket from Loft, but it didn't hold its shape well), the closest thing was the <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/sant-ambroeus-black">MM. LaFleur Saint Ambroeus jardigan</a>, and it was still pretty far from what I wanted. I like the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/An31">J.Crew Factory Open Sweater Blazer</a> more as a standard cardigan with an interesting collar, rather than a true jacket substitute.<br /><br />What is your interpretation of what business formal requires for women? Is it ever needed at your office? Do you have any nontraditional jackets or blazers that you like?&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-27217537642894177862018-03-05T05:30:00.000-05:002018-03-05T05:30:35.706-05:00Abacus: Small Enough to Jail<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Or9x3qN7Y/Wpds2Ur29RI/AAAAAAAALo8/8VE0fHZMvNYBmFCOPcRHxTFhyfdF0MyUwCLcBGAs/s1600/abacus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1300" height="358" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Or9x3qN7Y/Wpds2Ur29RI/AAAAAAAALo8/8VE0fHZMvNYBmFCOPcRHxTFhyfdF0MyUwCLcBGAs/s640/abacus.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>via <a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/05/18/528650014/abacus-the-small-chinatown-bank-that-paid-a-high-price">NPR</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I highly recommend the Oscar-nominated documentary <i>Abacus: Small Enough to Jail</i>, currently available free to&nbsp;<a href="http://amzn.to/2F5tW7q">Amazon Prime Instant Video</a>&nbsp;subscribers (affiliate link). It's about the family that runs <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus_Federal_Savings_Bank">Abacus Federal Savings Bank</a>&nbsp;("Abacus"), a small local bank primarily serving the Chinese immigrant community in New York City, and about a prosecution, indictment, and trial arising from the 2008 recession and mortgage crisis. Abacus appears to have been the <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-tiny-family-owned-bank-that-took-the-fall-for-the-2008-financial-crisis">only bank</a> that was indicted in connection with the mortgage crisis, though <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/nyregion/abacus-bank-found-not-guilty-of-mortgage-fraud-and-other-charges.html">only 0.3%</a> of the mortgage loans they sold to Fannie Mae defaulted. Following the 2012 indictment, the bank and the individual defendants that proceeded to trial were acquitted in 2015, found not guilty by a jury on all 184 counts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I didn't know anything about this story before I watched the documentary. I'll not attempt to assess the merits of the prosecution, except to say that the Manhattan DA's office, under <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-didnt-manhattan-da-cyrus-vance-prosecute-the-trumps-or-harvey-weinstein">Cyrus Vance</a>&nbsp;(who remains in office) spent at least three years prosecuting this case although there was no monetary loss to Fannie Mae (and in fact some financial gain), given the extremely low default rate on the mortgages at issue. There were some other arguable irregularities in the DA's handling of the case, which you'll see in the documentary.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the serious subject matter, it was a bittersweet story in the end because the family that founded the bank (a father and several adult daughters, most of whom participated in the defense of the case) was vindicated. I thought the family's interactions were sweet and loving, though everyone certainly had very strong opinions about the handling of the case and sometimes they got annoyed at each other. They were grappling with a period of considerable stress. The legal fees to defend this case case totaled over <a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20150624/FINANCE/306219999/abacus-bank-fought-the-law-and-won-but-it-came-at-a-cost">$10 million</a>.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With regards to some of the themes in this documentary, I'm a bit of an outsider. The various Chinese-American and Taiwanese-American communities across the nation are all quite different, so I don't have any special insight into the NYC-area community. I'm not from here, and I'd never presume to speak for them. Yet some of the cultural understandings the documentary touches on, which may not always interact terribly well with bank procedure and regulatory requirements, are familiar.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />One issue that arose was that of certain "<a href="https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/gift-money-down-payment">gift letters</a>" included with the mortgage applications, often from family members, which are supposed to represent unencumbered gifts. A <i>New Yorker</i> correspondent interviewed in the documentary, who also <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/12/the-accused-jiayang-fan">wrote about this case</a>, explained how the line between gifts and loans&nbsp;can be blurry in this and other immigrant communities. There may not be a real distinction when it's from close family. Say one's mother gives a significant contribution towards a down payment, perhaps the $23,500 shown in a redacted letter. It's very likely the adult child will be taking care of them in the future and paying it back that way. The adult child acknowledges a responsibility to repay, but if it turns out that they can't, well, everyone's family. The correspondent reported that witnesses in the case had trouble articulating this in a way that didn't sound suspicious. An attorney from the DA expresses disgust, that people's family members provided them with money "from who knows where," as if implying something illegal and terrible.<br /><br />Anyway, it's all a little more complicated than it sounds. I attempted to write a bit more about what is shown in the documentary, but I think it's best for people to watch it for themselves, and also keep an open mind, and recall that the jury did acquit, and that the default rate, whatever the defects in the mortgage applications documents, was 0.3% or less.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-32526831520955343552018-03-02T05:30:00.000-05:002018-03-02T05:30:28.833-05:00Money Life Lately: Dirty Money on Netflix and Breaking up with Turbotax<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CryFmny4GPg/WopZ6LdoreI/AAAAAAAALiw/elQqX2QwFzICEv4OtetzUdvPlG4RjbaoACEwYBhgL/s1600/fossil%2Bmini%2Btab%2Bwallet%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="432" height="315" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CryFmny4GPg/WopZ6LdoreI/AAAAAAAALiw/elQqX2QwFzICEv4OtetzUdvPlG4RjbaoACEwYBhgL/s400/fossil%2Bmini%2Btab%2Bwallet%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yOaf">Fossil Mini Tab Wallet</a>&nbsp;(affiliate link) - I ordered from Nordstrom Rack, where it's sold out. It carries a lot, and I like the design! Only downside is that the zip pocket in back is tiny and and not functional for anything more than 2-3 folded bills.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This first part of 2018 has been busy on the personal finance-management front! I filed my taxes and application for student loan refinancing. I've also <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/2018-no-longer-coasting.html">recommitted</a> to the You Need a Budget ("YNAB") philosophy, living on last month's income and budgeting with only the dollars I already have, rather than starting each month by budgeting paychecks not yet received. Time will tell if that new budgeting approach is, by itself, enough to make a difference in my spending.<br /><br /><b>Netflix's <i>Dirty Money</i></b><br /><br />For Netflix subscribers, I recommend the <i>Dirty Money</i> series. It's a fun, sharp take on a few stories of highly questionable business practices. So far, I've only watched the episodes on <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hsbc-probe/hsbc-to-pay-1-9-billion-u-s-fine-in-money-laundering-case-idUSBRE8BA05M20121211">HSBC's anti-money laundering policy failures</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/health/valeant-drug-price-syprine.html">Valeant Pharmaceuticals's price-hiking</a>, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-paydaylending-crime/race-car-driver-tucker-gets-more-than-16-years-for-lending-scheme-idUSKBN1EU20L">Scott Tucker's payday lending empire</a>, and they're great, accessible stories.<br /><br />As someone with some relevant legal knowledge, <i>Dirty Money</i> is a bit weak in terms of explaining the underlying law: what laws were violated (in the case of HSBC and Tucker; there weren't any charges in Valeant's case). Though I don't really blame them, as&nbsp; federal white collar crime can be... complicated, and surprisingly abstract. This is particularly apparent in the Scott Tucker episode. During the episode, Tucker and his associates obviously insist Tucker did nothing wrong. I don't think any other part of the episode clearly explained the alleged crime, though some of the related legal questions, such as why Tucker claimed his business was a tribal entity, are discussed. (Rest assured, the jury&nbsp;<a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2017/10/general-counsel-and-ceo-convicted-over-payday-lending-scheme/">found Tucker and a co-defendant</a>&nbsp;in violation of various criminal statutes.)<br /><br />I take the Valeant situation personally. To my knowledge, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeant_Pharmaceuticals">Valeant entity</a> is the sole manufacturer&nbsp; of Retin-A Micro (as a generic) for the US, so their price-hiking has affected me directly. I used to get a six-month supply of Retin-A Micro for a $10 co-pay on every previous insurance plan, but during my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/06/the-cost-of-course-of-dermatologist.html">most recent round of dermatologist treatment</a>, the co-pay was $80 for the same tube, despite my being on an excellent government employee insurance plan. I'm on a cheaper insurance plan now, so I shudder to think what the co-pay will be. If you run most of Valeant's products through, say, GoodRx to get a general sense of pricing without insurance, you can see how they're far more expensive than any other generics.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b>Should I Break Up with Turbotax?&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I always get my taxes done early, in large part because of <a href="http://www.bitchesgetriches.com/filing-taxes-early/">identity theft-related fears</a>. Also, because of the timing of my job transitions, and my dramatic jumps from higher to lower salaries and back, I've usually had a large tax refund to look forward to. Tax time is far better than Christmas! (It won't be that way anymore next year, though.)&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This isn't a flattering thing to admit, because someone who took introductory tax in law school (focused on personal income tax, no less) really should be less intimidated, but I've always used Turbotax because they have the simplest and most intuitive user interface I've tried. I've used both the online version (in my student years when I made little enough to qualify for the <a href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-freedom-edition">"freedom" edition</a>) and the desktop software. I've also dabbled with a few competitors: <a href="https://help.creditkarma.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004664123-Forms-and-situations-Credit-Karma-Tax-does-not-support">CreditKarma </a>is free but can't yet handle filing in more than one state, and TaxSlayer was frustrating because it wasn't as user-friendly. (I have not, however, tried H&amp;R Block, which is supposed to be user-friendly, but also fairly expensive.)&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every other year or so, there's some big, annoying problem with Turbotax. They try to nickel and dime you with weird, unnecessary offers and services throughout the process, particularly online. It's always expensive, especially because I've recently needed to file in two states, for an extra $39.99 plus tax (ha!) on top of the price for <a href="http://amzn.to/2sHT9mi">Turbotax Deluxe</a> (affiliate link). The software often has weird glitches, and, most problematic, often has trouble saving the forms to a PDF without some kind of bizarre workaround.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year, I thought they'd really gone and done it, as the software crashed every single time I tried to save as a PDF or print. I was ready to break up with Turbotax for sure. It had efiled fine and I was resigned to possibly needing to request and pay for a copy of my return from the IRS and the appropriate state agencies if I needed a copy in the future.&nbsp; As it turns out, at some point in the dozen or so attempts to get it to save a PDF, it somehow successfully did, even though the software crashed and didn't indicate the process was successful. Still, that's probably a lesson to me that it's time to break up with Turbotax. It's caused me more than enough frustration over the years.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're an American taxpayer, what software, if any, do you use to do your taxes? Have you also suffered the indignities of Turbotax's glitches and sneaky upselling? Is anyone else also affected by Valeant's price-hiking? P.S.<b> </b>if you're an American taxpayer with Adjusted Gross Income ("AGI") is under $66,000, there are several free software options available every year. This year's availability can be&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/jsp/index.jsp">found here on the IRS's site</a></div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-46725073855922078132018-02-28T05:30:00.000-05:002018-02-28T05:30:39.179-05:00February 2018 Shopping Reflections<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4HqakFWW2cQ/WpYxI0p4X_I/AAAAAAAALnw/fBLHcXp9FlcmBf_n56RoXPj9eGSaQEVkQCLcBGAs/s1600/feb%2B2018%2Bshopping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4HqakFWW2cQ/WpYxI0p4X_I/AAAAAAAALnw/fBLHcXp9FlcmBf_n56RoXPj9eGSaQEVkQCLcBGAs/s640/feb%2B2018%2Bshopping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So this was an huge shopping month, especially for total dollars spent. I also have, er, a few online orders in the pipeline, so I suspect that next month will also not be a low-spending, low-shopping month. I've maybe been a little too focused on getting "joy" out of the items I buy, and not enough on <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/2017-shopping-budget-roundup.html">budget and other limits</a>. Going forward, I'll try to rein it in because it's starting to feel a bit much, but my efforts may not be fully apparent until April, at the earliest.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</span></i></div><br />The good and reasonable shopping news is that my&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/12/the-hunt-for-new-jeans.html">search for new skinny jeans</a> is complete. The choice came down to two pairs of mid-rise, dark wash Gap skinny jeans in petite lengths, the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvmI">one I picked</a>, or <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvvP">one that was cheaper</a>, with slightly lower cotton content, but that also had more flattering fading. In the end, I picked the more expensive pair, partially because of the fabric content, but mainly because there was something a little off about the front pockets on the other pair, with the white fabric lining always threatening to peek out.<br /><br />For a while after I bought my previous pair of skinny jeans, which were also my first ever designer jeans (from Rag &amp; Bone,&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvsx">similar</a>), I felt that it was totally worth it to have stepped up so dramatically in price from previous pairs (always from Uniqlo). I thought the Rag &amp; Bone jeans miraculous because they never seemed to stretch out enough to sag between washes, a huge issue with past pairs of Uniqlo skinny jeans. It seems that I must eat my words a bit, because the Gap skinny jeans also don't sag noticeably on me between washes. It's also nice that they're petite length, as I never quite got around to hemming the Rag &amp; Bone pair in the two years I owned them.&nbsp;</div><br /><b>Fashion - (TOTAL: $ 755.49)</b><br /><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Coach Rogue, dark denim - *$605.89 -</b>&nbsp;(color no longer available online,&nbsp;<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvpW">full price in other colors</a>) This was the big ticket item of the month, and hopefully of the entire year. I decided to get this instead of the <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zQ8k">Mansur Gavriel large tote</a> that was on my <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/current-wish-list.html">shopping wish list</a>, though it's an entirely different bag in many ways. Among other things, the Rogue doesn't accommodate a 13'' laptop or 8.5''x11'' notebooks, so it's not the work bag I had in mind. I'm a longtime Coach fan, but had not been interested in the new designs introduced since Stuart Vevers <a href="https://www.coach.com/stuart-vevers-bio.html">took the helm in 2013</a>. I could appreciate that he was doing something interesting and new , but it was generally a bit too edgy or "young" for me. Then I saw someone on the street carrying the Rogue in this exact colorway, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/189503096805047697/">as a tote</a>, rather than by the top handles, and I was enamored. Within days, I'd gone to Coach in Soho (after first visiting Mansur Gavriel to see if I should stick with my original shopping plan instead), and when I saw this on sale for only a little more than it would cost used on eBay, I bought it. I've carried it to work every weekday since.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvmI">Mid-Rise True Skinny Jeans in 360 Stretch</a>, dark indigo - $68.00 -</b>&nbsp;I found that all of the petite Gap jeans I tried this time ran a little smaller than the stretchier designer jeans I was trying on around the same time. I'm often a 27, but am solidly a 28 petite in all of Gap's varieties. The fabric is also a bit stiffer and has noticeably less "give" and stretch than anything else I tried, though most of those other jeans ended up having less than 90% cotton. The Gap skinnies that were a <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zKWd">dark wash all over</a>, with no fading, were the stiffest pair of the lot. Because Gap petite skinny jeans fit the best (the Rag &amp; Bones in an ankle length were the next best thing, but with very low cotton content), it was an easy choice. Their petite length is maybe a touch longer than my perfect length, but that's ultimately a negligible issue.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvmV">Fossil Mini Tab Wallet</a> - *$27.00 -</b> Sadly, this is sold out at the sale price I got through Nordstrom Rack. I've been in the market for other card cases on and off for a while, ever since <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/12/commuter-bags-or-virtues-of-miniwallets.html">I realized how much</a> I loved my Kate Spade Saturday one (long discontinued). This accordion-style card case is quite different, but I thought it might also have a good amount of space, more than most other card cases on the market. Plus, I liked that it was pink, and each slot is a different shade. This does have good capacity, but because the zip compartment in back is too small for anything more than two to three folded-up bills, it's not as functional as my old card case. It's pretty close, though! I'll be switching between this and the Kate Spade Saturday one.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bloomingdales Pop Top Cashmere Mitten - $54.60 -</b>&nbsp;(<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zVIB">exact color no longer in stock</a>, <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zvmm">similar by Kate Spade in wool</a>) Although my super cheap-y tech-friendly <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/zK4u">gloves from Uniqlo</a> (I wear men's size M) keep my hands warm enough, they weren't functioning as intended because I couldn't wake up my phone with the gloves on. (Once the phone was awake, I could use it with the gloves just fine.) Thus, I've been in the market for pop top convertible&nbsp; mittens for a while, and ended up getting these. In hindsight, these may not be the best value. As with most cashmere, it's a bit pill-y and the pop-top means it's not as warm as traditional gloves. But because I'm not that picky about gloves and don't need much, I'll be happy to use these, and likely won't be tempted to get another pair.&nbsp;</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">* Indicates that price includes sales tax.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">How is your shopping year going so far? Any other longtime Coach fans here, and if so, any thought about Vevers's work? <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/12/the-hunt-for-new-jeans.html">People were kind enough</a> to leave many helpful recommendations for other jeans when I first wrote about my search (thank you!), so be sure to check out the comments there if you're in the market for jeans of various kinds.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-86550350144688986292018-02-23T05:30:00.000-05:002018-02-23T05:30:15.518-05:00Friday Link List: Mostly Money Talk <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1sq4E-fTZ4/WouufuazmfI/AAAAAAAALkU/tEWYWEwS8YAD5O58itjyiqpRS3qdjPPEgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1sq4E-fTZ4/WouufuazmfI/AAAAAAAALkU/tEWYWEwS8YAD5O58itjyiqpRS3qdjPPEgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2420.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>K and I recently had dosas at <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/pongal-new-york-2">Pongal</a>, which we enjoyed! <a href="https://www.instagram.com/evachen212/?hl=en">Eva Chen</a> recently went to the same restaurant in one of her Instagram stories, which made me feel cool</i>.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I'm a bit taken aback by how quickly this month is rushing by, as January felt so slow! It's been a productive month. I got that last root canal done, filed my taxes, and have kept up my workout routine. I also shopped a lot this month, ack, most of it in the form of <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/whats-in-my-bag-work-edition.html">a new bag</a>. I'm not too worried yet because my budget is ultimately rather flexible at this stage of my life (fear not, all my financial goals are well taken care of), though I may start feeling like I'm overdoing it soon if I keep it up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One thing I've been having fun with recently is watching K play <a href="https://kotaku.com/persona-5-the-kotaku-review-1793752909">Persona 5</a>. We're homebodies on weekday evenings, and usually for part of each weekend. All those long hours at work really catch up with us! Although he's a bit more extroverted than I am, we enjoy hanging out quietly together at home, often with him on the PS4 and me on my laptop, browsing blogs or writing. It's quite different in style from the "open world" games he typically plays, and it's a little easier to follow the plot while half paying attention. It's a quirky, stylish game.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. // </b>I was happy that <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/02/the-it-bags-of-yesteryear.html">my post</a> about the first designer handbag I ever fell in love with, the Miu Miu Coffer (not one of the enduring classics), generated a lot of interesting discussion. On a related note, I also wanted to link to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blogsnark/comments/7ver14/this_week_in_wtf_february_511/dty577a/">some</a> of the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/7w9fq6/stop_shaming_women_for_spending_money/?sort=confidence">online </a>discussions regarding that recent <i>Harper's Bazaar</i> piece about how women <a href="http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a12817407/stop-shaming-women-for-spending-money/">generally get shamed</a> far more than men for anything they spend money on, whether big or small.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's a topic that's long been <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2016/06/sunday-reading-6262016-women-and-money.html">near and dear</a> to my heart, though it's complicated. On the one hand, I'm always upset by sexist double standards. On the other hand, I feel like many types of marketing, particularly social media "influencer" marketing, is geared towards encouraging women in particular towards excessive consumption and materialism (points made by others&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blogsnark/comments/7ver14/this_week_in_wtf_february_511/dty7j8q/">here</a> and <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/7w9fq6/stop_shaming_women_for_spending_money/dtytls7/">here</a>). Then I think about the latter issue some more, and get depressed about all the expectations placed on women in terms of maintaining physical appearance, and how it's essentially "necessary" to spend a lot on those things every year... Ugh.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. //</b>&nbsp;<i>Racked</i> does some really interesting articles. I really related to <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/2/8/16979114/guilt-class-expensive-purchases">this article</a> that was essentially about guilt and a touch of "imposter syndrome" regarding expensive designer purchases, though as I mentioned over at <a href="https://dritgirl.com/2018/02/13/a-few-good-links-4/">Michelle's blog</a>, I come at the topic from a slightly different place. There was also this <a href="https://www.racked.com/2018/1/26/16927682/makeover-death-penalty-sabella-nitti">interesting historical article</a> about one of the women from "murderesses row" in 1920s Chicago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of financial anxiety and guilt over expensive purchases, whether large or small,&nbsp;<i>Bitches get Riches</i> has done several great entries about how to deal with those feelings, including&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bitchesgetriches.com/ask-bitches-can-absolve-financial-guilt-pricey-ps4/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.bitchesgetriches.com/buying-7-chocolate-bar/">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. // </b>Legal industry gossip time! In recent weeks, there was a set of extremely <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-otc-selendy/ex-quinn-emanuel-partners-selendy-and-gay-open-their-new-boutique-today-idUSKCN1FZ2MT">high-profile partner departures</a> from a prominent biglaw firm (one that solely practices litigation, which is unusual). This by itself isn't too surprising, as individual partners, and sometimes entire practice groups, move between firms often. It's maybe a bit more atypical for a whole slate of high-profile partners to leave together to start their own small firm. At any rate, this caused some <a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2018/02/john-quinn-is-not-happy-about-selendy-gay-and-he-sent-the-angry-reply-all-to-prove-it/">serious "reply all" email</a> drama.<br /><br /><b>4. // </b>Almost everything I'm talking about this week is to do with money. Luxe did a great post about <a href="http://www.theluxestrategist.com/pick-401k-funds-just-15-minutes/">how to pick funds</a> to invest in through a workplace retirement plan. She does a good job covering all the things I keep an eye out for. Alas, I <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2018/01/money-life-lately-dental-work-and.html">don't get to do this</a>&nbsp;with my current 401(k) plan.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In terms of other, not as directly money-related, recent blog entries that I enjoyed recently:&nbsp;<a href="http://styledtour.blogspot.com/2018/02/weekend-reading.html"><i>Style Dtour</i></a> did a good roundup of some recent internet discussions about skincare, which was ignited by a rather clickbait-y piece claiming that all skincare is&nbsp;<a href="https://theoutline.com/post/3151/the-skincare-con-glossier-drunk-elephant-biologique-recherche-p50?zd=2&amp;zi=3fu4au2f">a con</a>. Jess at <i>A Thinking Animal</i> did a fun analysis about the <a href="https://athinkinganimalblog.wordpress.com/2018/02/12/economics-of-knitting/">economics of knitting</a>.&nbsp;</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4597817731016340045.post-41721639988961820022018-02-21T05:30:00.000-05:002018-03-03T20:20:31.416-05:00MM. LaFleur: Showroom Experience and Brand Impressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I0LiFkeJfhM/Won295H_zUI/AAAAAAAALhw/dK7iac6pxmcH1g8C37tuNl99M0ZlAKUigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I0LiFkeJfhM/Won295H_zUI/AAAAAAAALhw/dK7iac6pxmcH1g8C37tuNl99M0ZlAKUigCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2214.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several months ago, I visited a <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/locations">MM. LaFleur showroom</a>. I'd been intrigued by their marketing for ages (and no wonder, as I'm their target customer), despite my general skepticism about startup brands offering a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/10/the-subscription-box-model.html">subscription box</a>-type service&nbsp;as a way to shop. During a showroom visit, they assign a stylist/salesperson to help you out one-on-one. I stayed there for an hour, and tried on several styles: At least seven dresses, two pants, two skirts, five tops, and two "jardigans".<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First, before I get to photos and reviews of the two items <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/2017/11/october-shopping-reflections.html">I bought</a>, I have some general thoughts about MM. LaFleur as a brand. Ethical production practices are not a focus, but some of their items (including the <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/toi-deep-plum">Toi dress</a>) are made in New York. My <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/didion-3-0-ink-wash">Didion top</a> was made in Vietnam. Pricing is, by almost any imaginable standard, extremely expensive, even with my robust and flexible budget as a private-sector attorney. Most dresses are well over $200 and tops are well over $100.<br /><br />My biggest issue with MM. LaFleur, especially at the price point, is their predilection for unlined dresses. Only two of seven dress designs I tried were lined (the Toi, which is always lined, and a <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/etsuko-crackle">printed Etsuko</a>, though solid colors are unlined). I get unusually grouchy about unlined dresses, although I have a few that look just fine. I feel strongly that linings serve a useful purpose, helping almost any dress (particularly more fitted sheathes, like MM. LaFleur commonly offers) lie more smoothly over the body. The lack of lining, combined with the fitted designs, generally resulted in those dresses showing the "lumps and bumps" in my figure in an unflattering way. Admittedly, my currently ~37.5''-27''-37'' figure is just too busty for most of their designs regardless. I had obvious fit issues with my closest size in every dress I tried outside of the Toi, Etsuko, and&nbsp;<a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/georgia-2-0-black">super-flowy Georgia</a>, enough that I'd never consider spending more on a tailor to fix it (think bra lines showing through unlined fabric and every single soft, squishy spot of my back getting emphasized), and the lack of lining really emphasized that.<br /><br />Another issue is the lack of petite sizing. I may be off base here, because I'm often terrible at choosing between regular and petite sizes for myself, and can't always figure out the line between "intentionally oversized chic" and "this doesn't fit". I generally feel that, when one looks through MM. LaFleur Instagram tags or even some posts on their blog, many looks seem to not be the best fit on shorter women. (I.e. this <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZizH2egWn_/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=mmlafleur">jacket-dress hybrid</a>&nbsp;on an employee, the first skirt <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/mdash/red-outfits-color-styling">in this post</a>, <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/mdash/knitwear-sweaters-styling-cashmere">many looks here</a>, or a few of the <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/mdash/mmazing-contest-results">customer photos here</a>.) I can't always pinpoint why I feel this, as most of the skirts and dresses look about knee-length, covering part (but not all) of the kneecap, in most of these photos, which happens to be the exact length <a href="http://www.invinciblesummerblog.com/">I usually wear</a>. I suppose I just wonder if, given MM. LaFleur's lofty price point, shorter women have better options that would be a better value.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S0r3jbNdg-E/WosIEcMOdKI/AAAAAAAALjs/bfUg9pJi5BoHfaurH9UeQlcHy45nReHxQCLcBGAs/s1600/saint%2Bambroeus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="478" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S0r3jbNdg-E/WosIEcMOdKI/AAAAAAAALjs/bfUg9pJi5BoHfaurH9UeQlcHy45nReHxQCLcBGAs/s640/saint%2Bambroeus.jpg" width="419" /></a></div><br />I also ordered a third item, the <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/sant-ambroeus-black">Saint Ambroeus Jardigan</a> (a cropped style that suits petite-height people far better than the longer <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/woolf-black">Woolf Jardigan</a>). I returned it because a dry clean-only sweater just isn't for me. While it's supposed to function like a blazer, in which case the dry clean-only restriction might be acceptable, I thought it looked too obviously cardigan-like to fill the jacket/blazer niche in my work wardrobe. Sure, the fabric is more structured than any other cardigan I've seen, but that isn't enough to make it pass for a blazer!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Please note that the rest of this post contains affiliate links that could result in a commission, typically a few cents, for me if you click. Thank you for your support!</i></span></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Please follow the link below for photos and reviews of the two items I bought.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkLyZP6MQwE/WooaltR37OI/AAAAAAAALiA/W3ZN6Q0pvGwvOvGJGVEdakL9vDVpSzTqQCLcBGAs/s1600/lafleur%2Btoi%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="752" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkLyZP6MQwE/WooaltR37OI/AAAAAAAALiA/W3ZN6Q0pvGwvOvGJGVEdakL9vDVpSzTqQCLcBGAs/s640/lafleur%2Btoi%2B1.jpg" width="299" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BUcFRXzWHOA/Wooarihp_2I/AAAAAAAALiE/Ey1dKU7EF6YatqkoEoLwsKfo1QohR3FyACLcBGAs/s1600/lafleur%2Btoi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="697" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BUcFRXzWHOA/Wooarihp_2I/AAAAAAAALiE/Ey1dKU7EF6YatqkoEoLwsKfo1QohR3FyACLcBGAs/s640/lafleur%2Btoi2.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Dress: </b><a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/toi-deep-plum">MM. LaFleur Toi</a>, size 8, deep plum</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Shoes:</b> Cole Haan tortoiseshell wedges (<a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yNJi">similar</a> in limited sizes, <a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yNJz">similar</a> with bow)</span></div><br />Due to some holiday-related weight gain, I'm a bit bigger around the chest now than when I first bought this. Currently, I'm right on the edge of this dress not fitting correctly in the chest. When I bought this, it wasn't such a close call, and I thought it fit well. The height of the neckline and how fitted it is through the chest does combine to emphasize my bust more than I usually like, though it's work-appropriate because of how covered-up it is. It's interesting that this dress looks great on people who are&nbsp;<a href="https://mmlafleur.com/mdash/jessica-in-the-toi">significantly less busty</a> than me while still accommodating my chest without requiring me to size up too dramatically. Although this is not an especially "bust-friendly" design, it manages to fit me far better than many of MM. LaFleur's other dresses. There's a little extra room at the waist (but not much), and any extra room at the hips is fine because of the flowy a-line skirt.<br /><br />The fabric is a 96% wool, 4% elastane that I haven't had any problems with so far. This version of the dress is dry-clean only, which isn't surprising for something made with suiting-type fabric, though the most <a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/toi-viridian">recent edition</a> of this dress has the same fabric composition, but is machine-washable.<br /><br />At $265, this was a major step up in price for me. Most of my other work-appropriate dresses cost around ~$80, whether bought used or new. That might be why I'm sounding so ambivalent and critical of MM. LaFleur. My brain can't objectively analyze something that was such a dramatic step up in price for me. Were I not sucked in by their marketing targeting my exact demographic and the slightly irrational sense that I'd feel bad about "wasting my stylist's time" if I didn't buy anything, I may not have made theses purchasing decisions.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRBvImgkHUI/WoobDo2UsDI/AAAAAAAALiI/SXRJq5tMSe0RjKf6O-pkTvFhtrdWxucnQCLcBGAs/s1600/lafleur%2Bdidion%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="752" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRBvImgkHUI/WoobDo2UsDI/AAAAAAAALiI/SXRJq5tMSe0RjKf6O-pkTvFhtrdWxucnQCLcBGAs/s640/lafleur%2Bdidion%2B1.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EAq27uAxMI8/WoobJs9pmPI/AAAAAAAALiQ/VgrpkxvVV3IN965dbmfPLsvxoJYuQklCQCLcBGAs/s1600/lafleur%2Bdidion%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="702" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EAq27uAxMI8/WoobJs9pmPI/AAAAAAAALiQ/VgrpkxvVV3IN965dbmfPLsvxoJYuQklCQCLcBGAs/s640/lafleur%2Bdidion%2B2.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Top: </b><a href="https://mmlafleur.com/shop/didion-3-0-ink-wash">MM. LaFleur Didion</a>, size M, "ink wash" print</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Bottoms (left): </b><a href="https://www.grana.com/silk-ankle-pants/">Grana Silk Ankle Pants</a>, size M short, black</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Bottoms (right): </b><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yNJa">J.Crew Factory Wool Blend suiting skirt</a>, size 4 regular, black</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Shoes:</b> Cole Haan tortoiseshell wedges&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(</span><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yNJi" style="font-size: small;">similar</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;in limited sizes,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://shopstyle.it/l/yNJz" style="font-size: small;">similar</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;with bow)</span></div><br />That I liked this top so much might come as a surprise, as this sort of roomy, blousy shape that hangs straight down from the chest isn't something that generally suits bustier women (as <a href="http://www.reasonablypresentable.com/index.php/2016/04/28/mm-lafleur-review/">this blogger </a>commented). Such designs runs the risk of having a "boob tent" effect, for lack of a better, more graceful phrasing. Even so, I loved this top, both when worn untucked and tucked in to a pencil skirt. Work tops are a tough genre for me, as most designs have issues with the way they fit over my chest and shoulders, and many sleeveless ones have oversized arm holes that show some of my bra from the side. This design doesn't have those problems.<br /><br />The Didion is lined, and both layers of fabric are polyester, which might make the $145 price shocking. The polyester certainly feels more pleasant (smoother, more silk-like) to the touch than anything at Loft or Ann Taylor, but it seems odd to pay so much for poly. I do like that this is easy to care for, as I've machine-washed and line-dried it with no problem.</div>Xin @ Invincible Summerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880478894796779040noreply@blogger.com0